Comments on: Prime Minister Abe Resigns http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/ Independent Podcasting from Tokyo. Featuring Seijigiri, a discussion of Japanese news and politics, as well as TPR News, our twice a week look at Japan's top stories. Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:45:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Just an Abe-rration? « Moore Than This http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-326707 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:05:16 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-326707 [...] Considering the way his predecessor Junichiro Koizumi was able to gain immense political capital from facing down the old guard of his party in the 2005 general election, and before that persuade the Diet to allow Japanese troops to be deployed into a combat zone for the first time since 1945, Abe’s early exit will be particularly humiliating, especially as he had staked his political reputation on contiuing Koizumi’s post-9/11 special measures law. But there could be more here. After this summer’s disastrous results for the LDP in the upper house elections, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) seems in the ascendant. Abe’s twin political projects have been to instill patriotism in the education system and make Japan a “normal country” with a military able to act unconstrained by Article 9 of the Constitution. He could have thought that extending the MSDF’s mission in the Indian Ocean was something important enough to sacrifice himself for. Or, it could be about a possible forthcoming election: The DPJ was pushing for a general election, which we all knew the LDP would have a hard time winning.  The question now is to what extent Abe stole the DPJ’s thunder by stepping down, acting as a lightning rod and taking the DPJ best ammo down with him.  Is a general election now more or less likely? [...] […] Considering the way his predecessor Junichiro Koizumi was able to gain immense political capital from facing down the old guard of his party in the 2005 general election, and before that persuade the Diet to allow Japanese troops to be deployed into a combat zone for the first time since 1945, Abe’s early exit will be particularly humiliating, especially as he had staked his political reputation on contiuing Koizumi’s post-9/11 special measures law. But there could be more here. After this summer’s disastrous results for the LDP in the upper house elections, the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) seems in the ascendant. Abe’s twin political projects have been to instill patriotism in the education system and make Japan a “normal country” with a military able to act unconstrained by Article 9 of the Constitution. He could have thought that extending the MSDF’s mission in the Indian Ocean was something important enough to sacrifice himself for. Or, it could be about a possible forthcoming election: The DPJ was pushing for a general election, which we all knew the LDP would have a hard time winning.  The question now is to what extent Abe stole the DPJ’s thunder by stepping down, acting as a lightning rod and taking the DPJ best ammo down with him.  Is a general election now more or less likely? […]

]]> by: DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-325032 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 13:48:09 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-325032 Is the average two years, Sam? I guess that's right, but I would have put it a bit shorter. Abe came into office on September 26th of last year, so that puts him at two weeks shy of a year. Not too far outside the norm. It does seem short coming on the heels of the five-year-plus Koizumi, though. Abe was smart, in terms of helping the LDP. He could only have dragged them down and it all would have become about him, which is not what the party needed. Is the average two years, Sam? I guess that’s right, but I would have put it a bit shorter. Abe came into office on September 26th of last year, so that puts him at two weeks shy of a year. Not too far outside the norm.

It does seem short coming on the heels of the five-year-plus Koizumi, though.

Abe was smart, in terms of helping the LDP. He could only have dragged them down and it all would have become about him, which is not what the party needed.

]]> by: Pajamas Media http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324638 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:32:11 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324638 <strong>Bye Bye, Abe...</strong> PJM Tokyo: The resignation of scandal-plagued, ineffective Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was inevitable, yet managed to take the country by surprise, reports PJM correspondent Garrett DeOrio....... Bye Bye, Abe…

PJM Tokyo: The resignation of scandal-plagued, ineffective Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was inevitable, yet managed to take the country by surprise, reports PJM correspondent Garrett DeOrio…….

]]> by: Sam http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324616 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 08:17:06 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324616 I heard news of the resignation in the international language office. I didn't believe it at first. I'd given him a few months before he'd be out. So.. he's be in for just about 12 months? The average lifespan of a Japanes prime minister is about 2 years? Just a little under it seems... I heard news of the resignation in the international language office. I didn’t believe it at first. I’d given him a few months before he’d be out. So.. he’s be in for just about 12 months? The average lifespan of a Japanes prime minister is about 2 years? Just a little under it seems…

]]> by: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Resign : Japan Probe http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324585 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 07:53:30 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324585 [...] Prime Minister Abe Resigns - Trans-Pacific Radio [...] […] Prime Minister Abe Resigns - Trans-Pacific Radio […]

]]> by: DeOrio http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324571 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 07:43:51 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324571 He'd be good at saying it wasn't the server's fault and that the server was doing a good job when it was down. He’d be good at saying it wasn’t the server’s fault and that the server was doing a good job when it was down.

]]> by: Durf http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324560 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 07:35:19 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324560 I don't see Abe filling any important party post from here on out. I thought one of his answers to a reporter's question was very telling, when he talked about the important jobs that still need to be pursued, but admitted that they weren't going to get done while he was around. A very strange way to do this, and very strange timing for it. This is all going to be a while in unraveling. I don’t see Abe filling any important party post from here on out. I thought one of his answers to a reporter’s question was very telling, when he talked about the important jobs that still need to be pursued, but admitted that they weren’t going to get done while he was around.

A very strange way to do this, and very strange timing for it. This is all going to be a while in unraveling.

]]> by: Arudou Debito http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324505 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 06:49:41 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324505 You heard it here first: Jimintou ja nakute Jinintou !! You heard it here first:

Jimintou ja nakute

Jinintou !!

]]> by: ken http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324456 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 06:20:50 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324456 Maybe he's good at Linux server administration. I might have a position open for him... Maybe he’s good at Linux server administration. I might have a position open for him…

]]> by: Steve Schapiro http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324446 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 06:13:12 +0000 http://www.transpacificradio.com/2007/09/12/japanese-prime-minister-abe-resigns/#comment-324446 Well well well. Whaddya know? He couldn't really be LDP Secretary General, could he? Who would respect him? I figure he has to lay low for a while, the he can head a faction or come back in a Ministerial position. Well well well. Whaddya know?

He couldn’t really be LDP Secretary General, could he? Who would respect him? I figure he has to lay low for a while, the he can head a faction or come back in a Ministerial position.

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