Former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has been back in the headlines this week, first for his return to the Machimura faction, which he left when he became prime minister, second for the announcement that he will chair an LDP study group related to the implementation of his "Cool Earth 50" initiative. The latter prompted Asahi …
Tag: Mori Yoshiro
Let there be strife
The LDP held its party convention in Tokyo on Thursday, and the mood was anything but cheery.Prime Minister Fukuda spoke bluntly about the existential crisis facing the party today. "We are facing the greatest crisis since the foundation of the party," he said to a crowd of some 3400 party members and supporters.Reiterating the party's …
Fukuda in charge
Contradicting reports leaked while he was out of the country, Mr. Fukuda has exhibited once again how he differs from his predecessor by asserting control of government and party and declaring that he will not in fact reshuffle his cabinet at the end of this Diet session (HT: Shisaku).It's not entirely clear who suggested to …
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 …
Abe to Mori: Do shut up
Prime Minister Abe, channeling his buddy George "the Decider" Bush, has responded to former Prime Minister Mori's "recommendations" for the composition of his next cabinet by reminding Mori who is responsible for the government. "I am the one person who must decide," he said.While I'm not exactly sad to see the authority of an old …
Mori keeps talking; will Abe listen?
Former Prime Minister Mori took his campaign against Prime Minister Abe to the airwaves on Sunday, appearing on Japan's Sunday morning talk shows to talk about the coming cabinet reshuffle.The most headline-worthy portion of his remarks, based on articles in the major dailies, seems to be his call for Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiozaki to be …
Ozawa attacks Abe — Mori does not disagree
Jiji reports on a meeting of members of the House of Representatives who have been elected thirteen times. The group? Ozawa, former Prime Minister Mori, Kokumin Shinto member Watanuki Tamisuke, former Prime Minister Hata Tsutomu, and DPJ member Watanabe Kozo.Ozawa, not surprisingly, criticized the prime minister's inaction and lack of common sense; Mori, it seems, …
More signs of Abe’s end
Mainichi has a long account of the meeting between (now former) LDP Secretary-General Nakagawa, Upper House head Aoki, and LDP boss former Prime Minister Mori on Sunday evening as the returns came in suggesting a major LDP defeat.In case anyone still has any doubts, this article makes it clear that it is wholly unclear whose …
Tobias S. Harris 