Japan PM’s agenda

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has won another term in a snap poll that was seen as a referendum on his economic policies. A low-voter turnout, however, cast a shadow on the win of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner, Komeito. Abe is a decisive leader who has pushed his “Abenomics” plan. It uses the popular Japanese story “The Three Arrows”, a metaphor for “strength through unity” to get its message through. Abe's three-pronged strategy is an aggressive monetary policy, state-sponsored economic programmes and structural reforms. He has shot two of the three arrows, but that only provided short-term gains. Abe has faced resistance and has not been able to carry structural reforms, something that his electoral victory would empower him for. 

Abe has also made his presence felt internationally. His vocal nationalistic stance on various issues has put him at odds with China.  He has made no secret of his plan to revise the Japanese constitution into the nationalist agenda he adheres to, including the lifting of the post-war ban on collective self-defence. Some of the provisions of the constitution, which was written by the victors of World War II, particularly the US, do need changes, and have the US support, but others are more contentious. 

The ruling coalition will now have a two-third majority in the House of Representatives and a simple majority in the House of Councillors. However, it faces many challenges in the coming years. The third largest economy in the world has gone into recession and three years after the Fukushima meltdown, Abe will be restarting nuclear reactors next year. This is a controversial move, which is also seen as necessary to provide the energy that Japan needs. He is also likely to face a tough battle whenever he attempts agriculture reforms. Abe has shown that he can take decisions which are needed. He has won a four-year term, which would give him the time he needs to push through reforms that Japan needs to get out of the slump that it finds itself in right now.