Fukuda Yasuo was asked whether he would visit Yasukuni Shrine as prime minister. His answer: "Perhaps not."It's certainly better than committing to visit, and considering that China was content with Mr. Abe's "neither confirm nor deny" approach to the Yasukuni problem, undoubtedly Beijing is preparing a little party to celebrate if and when Mr. Fukuda …
Month: September 2007
Who is Fukuda Yasuo?
Another day has passed, and it looks ever clearer that Fukuda Yasuo has cemented enough support to ensure his victory in the Sept. 23rd LDP presidential election. As this Asahi article notes, Mr. Fukuda has apparently gained the support of 298 Diet members, which is well over the necessary 264 votes he needs to win. …
The Afghanistan mission is doomed, for the time being
In the midst of the chaos at the top of the LDP and the government, Yamasaki Taku has announced that any new legislation to enable the MSDF to contribute to coalition operations in and around Afghanistan will be postponed to next year's regular Diet session. Mr. Abe's "international promise" is effectively dead.This is interesting in …
Continue reading The Afghanistan mission is doomed, for the time being
Two horse race
Nukaga Fukushiro, finance minister and member of the Tsushima faction, the LDP's second-largest, has reportedly abandoned plans to run in the party presidential election, due to pressure from his own faction. This means, of course, that Mr. Fukuda is the undisputed "anybody-but-Aso" candidate — and now the undisputed front runner, having sewed up the support …
Mr. Aso and the Fukuda headwind
The official campaign period for the LDP presidential election begins today, and the situation is extremely fluid due to the entrance of Fukuda Yasuo into the race, which Mainichi describes as having attracted an instant majority of Diet members thanks to support of the Machimura faction (80 members total) and some members in the Koga …
Who’s in control here?
Prime Minister Abe has been bizarrely hospitalized, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yosano admits that Mr. Abe did not name someone to serve as the acting prime minister in his absence.I guess Aso Taro is too busy getting ready to win the job legally to do his best imitation of Alexander Haig.Mr. Aso, while still probably …
The man to beat
From Kishi scion to Yoshida scion: with less than a week until the LDP presidential election, it seems hard to conceive at this point how anyone will be able to stop Aso Taro, professed manga lover and friend of otaku (oh, and longtime foreign minister and current LDP secretary-general).With Mr. Koizumi declaring that he will …
The LDP presidential election
NHK has just announced that the LDP will be holding a presidential election next Wednesday, September 19, with the campaign period opening this Friday, September 14.Expect the contenders to begin positioning themselves over the next few hours.The LDP is certainly wise to waste no time in preparing to select a new leader. Mr. Abe's resignation …
A fitting end?
In the midst of Mr. Abe's resignation, Mainichi reports that Shukan Gendai has been investigating reports of tax evasion by Mr. Abe, who allegedly transferred his 2.5 billion yen inheritance from his father to his political organization without paying taxes.While there are plenty of reasons for Mr. Abe's departure, it would be fitting if the …
Abe’s resignation — first thoughts
It's official. After less than a year in office, Mr. Abe has announced his resignation.Evidently his decision came as a surprise to the LDP leadership.In his statement, available here from Asahi, Mr. Abe emphasized that his resignation is a way to break the deadlocked situation in Japanese politics, especially concerning the anti-terror law. He hopes …
Tobias S. Harris 