Japan Press Weekly

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2012 September 26 - October 2 [POLITICS]

Ex-PM Abe makes comeback as LDP leader

Former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on September 26 won the presidential election of the largest opposition Liberal Democratic Party. He has become the first LDP leader in the party’s 57-year history who made a comeback to the post.

At a press conference just after his victory in the presidential race, Abe mentioned as major issues for the coming general election the exercise of the right to collective self-defense, which enables Japan to use military forces abroad, and the strengthening of the Japan-U.S. military alliance. He also expressed his intention to revise the Constitution.

Regarding the consumption tax hike, Abe said, “It is a matter for the ruling party to address.” He adopted a stance of opposing withdrawal from nuclear power generation and promoting free trade.

Later on the same day, asked by reporters for a comment, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi said, “The LDP picked the most hawkish candidate as its new leader. It increases the right-wing direction of the party. In order to help put brakes on the move to the right, the JCP will work hard to achieve an advance in the coming general election by presenting a vision offering policies that reflect public demand.”