Japan Press Weekly

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2014 December 24 - 2015 January 6 [POLITICS]

3rd Abe Cabinet inaugurated

The two Houses at the 188th special session of the Diet convoked on December 24 following the general election appointed Abe Shinzo, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, as Prime Minister of Japan. Abe launched the third LDP-Komei coalition government.

The Abe Cabinet is ready to push ahead with the establishment of laws to: embody the Cabinet decision on Japan’s exercise of the right to collective self-defense; further promote the Abenomics economic policy that is widening social gaps; impose another U.S. base on Okinawans; restart nuclear power plants; and increase the consumption tax rate to 10%.

All of these moves have been encountering opposition from many people. If Abe forces them through the upcoming ordinary Diet session, his government will inevitably meet fierce public criticism.

PM Abe reappointed all the previous ministers, except for the Defense Minister who was replaced by Nakatani Gen, former Secretary General of the Defense Agency.

Former DM Eto Akinori has been under fire for illegal donations he received from his fund management body.

Abe reportedly dismissed Eto, who was in charge of processes for making security-related laws, because of the concern that the Eto scandal would adversely affect deliberations on legislation pertaining to national security.