Public support plunges for Abe

I sure hope this gains momentum, rather than just fading away.

With sixty thousand people demonstrating against Abe what we are seeing is not about to fad away. There should be an opinion poll asking people about whether they are for or against the LDP.

The battle against the militarization of Japan will not be won simply by removing Abe. The LDP and its cohorts must go.

People angry at this but not at the consumption tax concerning food, medicine etc.

@kabukilover: If he resigns after this law is defeated in Sept, next election in September LDP will be majority again and LDP elders will have to appoint Abe to PM because no one is available to declare PM wish, the report stated.

Both polls asked around 1,000 people and were conducted by telephone on Friday and Saturday.

I think LDP supporters are likely to be over represented in this type of survey, it might be even lower than 35%. Who is sitting at home beside their telephone (landline?) on a Friday or Saturday? Probably older voters.

Go, Japanese people! :) I know most of Japanese are very peaceful. I admire you.

Abe must go.

The world doesn't need another fascist dictator.

We have enough already.

Is NHK reporting any of this?

If the choice is between him and the present deputy PM, Taro Aso, there isn't much to choose between them, so why don't the Japanese vote against the LDP? The alternative has to be, is, better.

It has been a relief to see Japan have a stable leader in Abe and IMO, he is doing a good job. However I disagree with his policies on three fronts:

The first pertains to this article of his support for expanding military role; the second is his support of the temporary workers bill, and the third is his support for nuclear energy.

Those three fronts says he is doing a rotten job.

The alternative has to be, is, better.

Pray tell which alternative that would be.

previous report

Abe has been expected to win re-election for another three-year term as LDP leader in a September party election. So far no rival has indicated a desire to contest the race.

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Sorry, no alternative. He may go back to concentrate on economic policies.

It is time they all consider quitting

60,000 people? BS

Get rid of Abe but also the entire party.

Just yesterday another fool from Abe's cabinet said he didn't care about the plummet in popularity and pulled the usual dictatorial line, "history will prove us right". These guys don't even listen to the rolling stone dragging them down the cliff.

IT's time Japan pulled its weight defense wise. However their are some silly naive types who would rather sit back under the US defense umbrella all while complaining about the US defense umbrella.

@amuth: Yiu mean seniled cabinet members?

Nelson Mandela once said

"Where globalization means, as it so often does, that the rich and powerful now have new means to further enrich and empower themselves at the cost of the poorer and weaker, we have a responsibility to protest in the name of universal freedom."

How apt!

Most worrying is Japan's weak and flawed political opposition, It's Abe san's LDP by default, in effect a system of one party politics. A much trotted out slogan from Abe san is 'This is the only way'. Unashamed arrogance will be his undoing, for the present Abe san is the only act in town and he knows it, the consequence of voter apathy.

Peace through strength. Oldest concept in the world.

Peace thru strength is oldest concept in the world that has not worked.

Abe will not listen to the people nor will he change direction being this close to bringing the entire old system into play and make it easier for the super rich get what they want, lifelong dynasty but publicly and openly under the Emperor in full power and the shadow bosses raking in more yen than ever and the people loving it as they pay more taxes into the system.60,000 to 24 million is not even a drop in the bucket and as along as it remains this way things will move ahead and there is nothing the people can do about it.

Washington's policymakers must be watching the current Japanese political scene very carefully and also with bated breath. For it's they who have been pressing Tokyo to revise the Constitution or reinterpret it when they realized the revision of it would take too long a time.

They rate Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as one of the most trustworthy prime minister that Japan has had since Nobusuke Kishi, Abe's grandfather, because, as with Kishi, grandson Abe faithfully implements what the U.S. sets forth in its security policy toward Japan.

Article 9 of the Pacific Constitution was not imposed on Japan by the victorious U.S. as generally believed and as the above article states. There were back-and-forth exchanges of draft constitutions between MacArthur's GHQ and the Japanese government. Some scholars say Article 9 was inserted into the constitution by then Prime Minister Kijuro Shidehara, a pacifist politician.

Note that the proclamation of the new constitution was enthusiastically welcomed by the war-weary Japanese people at the time, who believed it would guarantee that Japan would never repeat the same mistake in the future. The U.S., on the other hand, thought afterwards that they had made a mistake by granting the new constitution with Article 9 included and has been urging Japan to scrap or revise it.

What I want to know is, who's Abe's challenger? I'm not saying Abe shouldn't be replaced, I'm just saying there's a empty podium where a real rival, a real threat to Abe should be. I've never seen or heard anyone or of anyone that seems ready or able to take Abe's place.

Like I've said before, I've never seen a country besides China or Russia where there's not a viable (or realistic) challenger to the current leader's throne.

@harvey right now, nobody.

Just yesterday another fool from Abe's cabinet said he didn't care about the plummet in popularity

That's because they know this means nothing. They know they'll be back in power in the next election.

For it's they who have been pressing Tokyo to revise the Constitution

Right. About time for Japan provide it's own security, or at least enhance it. Then, the US GI's can leave okinawa, yokota, atsugi and yokosuka. Why should young americans die for japan if the SHTF?

Don't you think "that" thinking is outdated? Oh . . . I forgot. Japan pays lots ¥$¥ to DC, so the money can save you. The ole' checkbook policy- cannot work forever and ever.

Abe has been expected to win re-election for another three-year term as LDP leader in a September party election. So far no rival has indicated a desire to contest the race (last report)

Note that the proclamation of the new constitution was enthusiastically welcomed by the war-weary Japanese people at the time, who believed it would guarantee that Japan would never repeat the same mistake in the future.

Yeah, and sadly, this narrow-minded doctrine has permeated and polluted the minds of a couple generations of japanese citizens- who now (still) think the US GI's should bear the burden forever.

Nobody wants a war. Nobody wants to see a militarily aggressive japan. No. Just simply loosen up sdf restrictions so that japan can become meet expectations in contemporary times.

Tokyo Disneyland was "enthusiastically" welcomed and embraced too. . . . How real is that?

Note that the proclamation of the new constitution was enthusiastically welcomed by the war-weary Japanese people at the time, who believed it would guarantee that Japan would never repeat the same mistake in the future

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?????

the new constitution? Welcomed by .....?

Please do not write a fiction

japanese citizens- who now (still) think the US GI's should bear the burden forever.

No they don't. They are afraid that Japan may be dragged into US war.

japanese citizens- who now (still) think the US GI's should bear the burden forever.

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You never noticed Okinawan people have been trying to get rid of US bases.

You never noticed Okinawan people have been trying to get rid of US bases.

It's not only the people of okinawa. The whole country needs to get involved. Not many are though. No wonder the USA must babysit Japan.

Voters (japanese in ever prefecture & those "stateside" near a japanese embassy) - Grow up already!

I think Abe wanted to protect all Japanese by enabling SDF be sent to oversea. Stop ISIS etc. He may explain before national voting. He has habits of closed mouth and that is not helping Japan. People developed imagination of WW II type out of dated Military Japan. It is robot and drone era

@cracaphat. Right. No opposition whatsoever. With all these other "defunct" political parties & conformist voters who show up to the plolls in droves or less -snap election turnouts- no wonder a la Putin.

japanese citizens- who now (still) think the US GI's should bear the burden forever.

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I don;t think this porposal is related to US GIs.

Abe should explain rhat this means Japanese SDF can be sent to oversea to protect any Japanese interest. ISIS beheading Japanese etc Japan will prevent.

Demonstrators in Tokyo protest against the controversial security bills which would expand the remit of the country's armed forces, on July 15.

Why are they protesting? Expand a little. Grow up. Japan is a big boy now. 70 yrs later, still need US to hold ur hand?

They are afraid that Japan may be dragged into US war.

OMG!! "They're Afraid". - everybody is afraid in today's uncertain world. But, it's time to leave disneyland & sanrio land in order to accept responsibility for your country & it's future. This DOES NOT mean japan will be dragged into a US war.

@tina my guess differ. Abe Abe may have Isseki Nichou plan. 1. Ask or demand USA to move Okinawan US base to satisfy Okinawan Governor and Okinawan anti-base People. 2. Increase JSDF personals and assign to former US Bases for self defence purpose. Better on own than depending on Foreign forces, That could be reason Abe etc can not explain.

Juat my guess

What difference does it make even if the public support reaches the zero level...LDP will win and nothing will change...life goes on...

toshiko,

Please do not write a fiction?

The new constitution was promulgated on May 3, 1947. There was no high-profile celebration held in Okinawa because people felt it had nothing to do with them. But news from mainland Japan abundantly told that the whole nation was overwhelmed with joy and enthusiasm. Click open 新憲法発布on the Internet to confirm this. May 3 has been a big national holiday to this day.

Okinawa's desire to be reunited with Japan was born from the reality of it being put under a harsh U.S. military occupation. The U.S. occupation army in Okinawa behaved as if they were liberators from Japanese militarism in the beginning but it wasn't long before they betrayed themselves and administered the islands tyrannically like hell. Okinawans naively thought they could enjoy freedom, equality, dignity, human rights and economic prosperity under the new constitution. This led to the creation of the Association of Okinawa's Return to Japan in 1960, which acted a pivotal role in that movement.

And you know the rest of the story.

@voiceofOkinawan: You wrote Note that the proclamation of the new constitution was enthusiastically welcomed by the war-weary Japanese people at the time, who believed it would guarantee that Japan would never repeat the same mistake in the future

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it sounded you wrote that this session, new constitution is accepted. Because we are discussing lower house votes, and Abe, not with Shidehara or Narahashi. not even Kdes or Countessa Torio. Just Abe and his cohort. About everybody is talking this new development. We are not talking time Countessa said Article 9 she and her lover Kades created in his bedroom. We are talking about Abe's plan to update constitution

OMG!! "They're Afraid". - everybody is afraid in today's uncertain world.

Wc626 - Your country is creating past today future uncertainty for money or oil or hegemony. Why should Japan be dragged into it? Who destroyed Japan? Who made China powerful?

So, according to thumbs, there are at least four people on this forum that believe it is wonderful to tax staple goods at the same rate as luxury goods. Shame on you!

They should be angry at Abe for that and not for protecting our sovereignty.

@ harvey pekarJul. 20, 2015 - 07:59PM JST

What I want to know is, who's Abe's challenger? imo this is Japanese "democracy" Jefferson said Democracy is two wolves and a sheep, voting on what to eat for dinner. In japan it looks like its many wolves in the same pack and A sheep (the people) regardless of political party. More like a fascist totalitarian state with a sprinkle of nice ideas but then again where is democratic..... The states HUH the UK HUH, cute idea but were all circling the bowl heading towards totalitarianism. imo

If LDP's supporters are mostly old people, then we should look into voting fraud.

Many old people are senile and gullible. In other countries like the USA, the voter fraud is committed by having the old voters sign the forms or the mail-in forms, with the choice of the candidates picked by someones else. I am not surprised if this happened. Voter fraud in the USA is a big issue raised by the Republican candidates because the Democratic Party candidates do not want voters to be required to prove their citizenship, identity and eligibility with a state or federal ID with a photo. The Democrats claimed blacks, Hispanics, etc, who mostly vote for the Democrats have trouble getting state or federal ID with a photo. This shows some people will do anything to win elections.