politics

A look at what's at stake in Dec 14 election

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Another four years of this!

I'm out of here!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@ klausdorth Meanwhile nuclear armed China has been proclaiming itself as the center of the world for couple millenia.

@ BertieWooster Sad to see you go, wish you all the best back home wherever you're from.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I promise you that we will once again see this region and all of Japan become the center of the world and shine

Once again? When was Japan ever even CLOSE to shining or being the "center of the world?"

The only thing Japan is going to be the center of is ridicule, and prime examples of what NOT to do to your economy if you DON'T want to purposely run it into the dirt.

Long Live The Yen Carry Trade!

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Abe's play book:

Put a few new members in his cabinet. Make a "scandal" with those two members. Artificially make it look like you are losing voter confidence. Call snap election under the tense that people don't like him anymore. Win election. Do whatever he wants.
3 ( +3 / -0 )

@klausdorth

No I think his remarks don't need to be justified. Nor do yours as ludicrous as they sound to me.

You are inferring that Abe will lead the modern day Japanese populus to go invade some country and colonize it sometime in the near future correct? Using the JSDF which consists of modern day Japanese citizens right? Bypassing all the constitutional constraints and geo-political constraints like the US alliance, membership in the G8 and nuclear armed neighbours. Lets not forget total dependency on imported oil for fueling anything JSDF.

If he really meant what you think he meant he's crazy, but IMO ockham would agree your position is the one with the huge onus.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The scariest thing Ive seen since the start of this campaign is Ozawa participating again. Really that guy is one scary sob. He just won't go away. If he wins...we....are....all......f***ed

1 ( +1 / -0 )

From my perspective as an outsider living in the country, it seems that the Japanese are apathetic about their government (perhaps they feel that their personal lives or work is more important). I have a feeling that some big changes will occur in the next four years (or the opposite, maybe). In any case, it will be interesting to see how the Japanese voting community changes when the next election rolls around.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

FernGully: The voting community are all over 65 and farmers, they vote for anyone that comes and sees them, ala Abe yesterday in Fukushima

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@ papigiulio

LOL agreed. But rest assured, most Japanese citizens (other than Iwatenites) share your perception concerning the douche. His public reputation is all but dead, which is only slightly better than his former secratary who had dirt on him with the money scandal ordeal.

Sad thing for me is that I kinda agree with some of the stuff he is pitching for this election, although I'm not naive enough to believe his butt. Nothing more than a last ditch effort to try and get back to a position of power with demagoguery.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

gogogo: When I define the "voting community," (I apologize for the misunderstanding) I meant the entire population of voters.

Pardon my opinion here: I'm a bit surprised that politics aren't a bigger deal here (maybe it is a cultural issue). If there was a younger politician who ran on a progressive platform and marketed himself to younger voters and Japanese celebrities, there is a possibility that Japanese politics could be reinvigorated and get younger audiences interested in voting and trying to positively affect this nation.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Puffy and blustary"

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This election increases more Japanese people bashing and insulting comments here like they don;t have mind to vote.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

He pledged to make progress in recovering from the March 2011 tsunami

Oh, that's important again, is it? I thought we weren't bothering with that now we've got all the juicy Olympic construction projects to skim off in Tokyo.

Still, a little mawkish emotional blackmail never did anyone any harm, did it?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"Polls put the Liberal Democrats well in the lead"

Well, of course, there's no viable alternative.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Is restarting nuclear plants a must?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It seems that JT comment writers have better election prediction than Japanese media. Next, LDP should stop any sales tax raise. Sales rax for food should be abolished.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

FernGully: No misunderstanding, when the vast majority of the population of Japan is over 60 then that is your voting community.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Here's a question for Mr Abe on the hustings:

Mr Abe, Why should the Japanese electorate trust your party to get the economy back on track when your MLITT has been unable to do something as simple as ensure supplies of butter in stores for the last 6 months?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Butters .... Maybe he wants Japanese to be less fat?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@nektonDEC. 05, 2014 - 11:22AM JST Here's a question for Mr Abe on the hustings: Mr Abe, Why should the Japanese electorate trust your party to get the economy back on track when your MLITT has been unable to do something as simple as ensure supplies of butter in stores for the last 6 months?

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

You hsve to ask about butter in Minisdtry of Food type office/ Can he eat butter now? As long as Miso is not short, Butter shortage means nothing to Japanese. .

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Apologies, my post was probably too oblique—I was referencing what is called "guns or butter macro-economics", which seems to fit Abe's right-wing militarism (reforming/re-interpreting Article 9, expanding JSDF, allowing export of Japanese built weapons systems, etc.). A too simplistic explanation is that as a country follows a defense-industry based economy, the rationale for domestic production of everyday goods (like butter) disappears, so such products disappear from shops. Eisenhower made a powerful speech about it in 1953 that you will find easily if you google "guns and butter." If Abe takes Japan (back) down this road, it will lead to grief. If Japan's electorate vote the LDP dinosaurs back-in, it will be like 'turkeys voting for Christmas' in my opinion.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"Polls put the Liberal Democrats well in the lead"

Well, of course, there's no viable alternative.

There aren't actually any viable choices at all but someone's got to win the election.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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