On the same morning that Asahi reports that Abe's popularity has taken yet another blow, dropping to 30%, Yomiuri reports in an article that does not appear to be online that LDP Secretary General Nakagawa Hidenao gave a speech in Toyama in which he suggested that the "abduction problem" will become a point of contention …
Tag: 2007 Upper House Elections
Coming full circle
Back in November, I wrote, "The policy differences between the LDP and the DPJ are too slight for the DPJ to build a campaign on anything other than personality and competence at governing."At that point, it was too early to tell just how incompetent the Abe Cabinet would be. But in the seven months since, …
Does Abe have nothing to worry about come July?
From the English-language blogosphere's resident Abe apologist comes another post arguing that all is well in Abe's beautiful Japan.Hey, Ampontan, do you do this pro bono, or is there some kind of secret yarase blogger program run out of the Kantei? If the latter, is it too late to sign up?I think, if the price …
Continue reading Does Abe have nothing to worry about come July?
The Matsuoka saga is far from over
As fallout from Matsuoka's suicide continues to spread — with an executive at J-GREEN, the MAFF agency under investigation for dispensing contracts to companies supporting Matsuoka, following Matsuoka to the grave — the probability of the Matsuoka/seiji to kane issue looming large over the Upper House elections seems to rise by the day.What was once …
"An indispensable man of talent for agriculture administration"
Prime Minister Abe has given an official response to the suicide of MAFF Minister Matsuoka Toshikatsu — what Sankei Shimbun has dubbed a "shock" to Japan's political world. While all parties and players are shocked by the news, however, the uniform response seems to be that Matsuoka's suicide, coming on the heels of revelations about …
Continue reading "An indispensable man of talent for agriculture administration"
Matsuoka Toshikatsu, RIP
Beleaguered Agriculture Minister Matsuoka Toshikatsu was found dead by his own hand this afternoon.I am somewhat hesitant to comment on the political ramifications, seeing as how this is a grim end to a sordid affair (and career); but it demands some response. Obviously I mean no disrespect to those grieving. This is a terrible end, …
The failure of Ozawaism?
Apologies for not having posted sooner, but once again I'm out of Japan, this time back in my hometown of Chicago for business.Having stepped out of the news cycle for a day, it might be a bit before I am completely up to speed, but meanwhile I highly recommend this recent post at Shisaku on …
What if they had a debate…
Prime Minister Abe and DPJ President Ozawa had their long-anticipated head-to-head debate yesterday, reportedly the longest length of time ever in a Diet session without a direct clash between party leaders.That according to a handy table provided in the print edition of the Asahi Shimbun, which indicates that the previous record was in 2002, when …
Muddled thinking on the DPJ
The Asahi Shimbun has published yet another editorial urging the Democratic Party of Japan to be more forthright in confronting the Abe Cabinet in the Diet.The occasion for this editorial was Ozawa Ichiro's completion of a second tour of the country's regions as part of his electoral strategy of building up the DPJ's support structure …
The beginning of a trend?
Yomiuri reported today that exit polling from Sunday's by-elections in Fukushima and Okinawa suggests showed a pronounced tendency among independents to vote for the DPJ candidates.In Okinawa, 55% of independents voted for Karimata Yoshimasa, the candidate backed by the DPJ and three other opposition parties, while 36% supported Shimajiri Aiko, backed by the LDP and …
Tobias S. Harris 