Japan Press Weekly

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2014 December 24 - 2015 January 6 [POLITICS]

Abe makes New Year resolution to force through all his policies

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo at a New Year press conference held on January 5 stated that he will push to advance all the reforms he has called for, making his New Year resolution to force through the Abenomics economic policy, further the development of security legislation, restart nuclear power plants, and implement constitutional revisions.

He said, “As a result of the general election, I resumed my office as Prime Minister. I will implement what we (the Liberal Democratic Party) called for in our election platform.”

The election results, however, reveal that the Abe government failed to win public confidence. The percentage of votes the LDP received in proportional representation constituencies and in single-seat constituencies was only 16.99% and 24.49% of all eligible voters, respectively. Post-election opinion polls also show that a majority of respondents expressed their opposition to Abe’s policies, including amendments to the Constitution and the resumption of nuclear reactors.

Abe told the press that he will push through what the LDP campaigned for in its election platform such as adjusting national security-related laws so as to make it possible for Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense. However, the party did not mention the phrase “collective self-defense” in its election platform.

The Prime Minister boasted of the achievements Abenomics made during the past two years, but workers’ real wages have declined for 17 consecutive months. Widening the social disparities, Anenomics has been useless in improving people’s living conditions and stimulating the Japanese economy.

He mentioned that he may publish some kind of statement on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII this year, but stopped short of stating whether he will adhere to the 1995 Murayama Statement which expresses “deep remorse” over and “heartfelt apology” for Japan’s past colonial rule and its war of aggression.