Japanese Politics Thread

[Kubra]

His resignation is more or less pointless, since it was for reasons of health as opposed to politics. There's no end to dynastic bland-but-safe bureaucrats in the house of representatives that can replace him.

[Sanghyeok]

I wish him well, and a speedy recovery. Hopefully Japan's next PM puts more focus on the declining birthrate.

Japan's birthrate isn't going anywhere until women get freed from double burden.

[Alternamerica]

Like his administration's benefit to the average Japanese, his resignation doesn't have much effect. Still, hope he gets the rest he needs alongside Pre-WW2 revisionism in the country (but that's hoping for too much)

[Sanghyeok]

Like his administration's benefit to the average Japanese, his resignation doesn't have much effect. Still, hope he gets the rest he needs alongside Pre-WW2 revisionism in the country (but that's hoping for too much)

The problem is that there is an unchecked far-right movement in Japan. There are a lot of Japanese nationalists who believe in either that WWII atrocity did not happen, or if it did happen it was correct decision. Even if the next PM is better, some of Japanese public may prevent him from making any statements on Japanese actions. This is why I admire Germany for admission of fault. Chancellor Merkel has many policies I do not like, but I can respect her as person for visiting Holocaust memorial. I cannot imagine any Japanese PM going to Nanjing anytime soon.

[The New California Republic]

His resignation is more or less pointless, since it was for reasons of health as opposed to politics. There's no end to dynastic bland-but-safe bureaucrats in the house of representatives that can replace him.

Yes. When I first glanced at a news headline that just mentioned his resignation and not the reason, I figured it was because of some scandal or another actually political reason that I wasn't aware of. But as it is, his resignation doesn't really amount to terribly much, because as you mentioned there will be some near-perfect clone of him waiting in the wings.

[Philjia]

Hey, maybe him finally resigning might stir Japan to actually tackle some of it's long term structural problems like the declining birth rate, toxic work culture, and stagnant economy.

Yeah, no chance of that.

[San Lumen]

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asi ... ns-next-pm

An in-depth look at who might replace Abe. One woman is on the list Seiko Noda former internal affairs minister, but I have doubts the next prime minster will be a woman

[Greater Carloso]

Ulcerative colitis is a terrible condition to have. I hope Shinzo Abe has a pleasant retirement. He has been a good Prime Minister for Japan. Hopefully, someone like Taro Aso or indeed anyone aligned with Nippon Kaigi will be his successor.

[Sanghyeok]

Hey, maybe him finally resigning might stir Japan to actually tackle some of it's long term structural problems like the declining birth rate, toxic work culture, and stagnant economy.

Yeah, no chance of that.

The three are all linked together. Toxic work culture + Patriarchy -> Women take burden of house work -> Women double burden -> Women don't want to have children -> Stagnant economy.
It's necessary to ease burden of Japanese women and stop toxic work culture. Otherwise people will refuse to have children, because why will they?
And this is a problem which is in Korea and starting in China too.

[Reutoa]

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3099272/shinzo-abes-resignation-who-might-become-japans-next-pm

An in-depth look at who might replace Abe. One woman is on the list Seiko Noda former internal affairs minister, but I have doubts the next prime minster will be a woman

I'd really want Shinjirō Koizumi as the next Prime Minister, but he probably won't be sadly.

[San Lumen]

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3099272/shinzo-abes-resignation-who-might-become-japans-next-pm

An in-depth look at who might replace Abe. One woman is on the list Seiko Noda former internal affairs minister, but I have doubts the next prime minster will be a woman

I'd really want Shinjirō Koizumi as the next Prime Minister, but he probably won't be sadly.

Id like to see him or Seiko Noda but it’s even more doubtful a woman becomes prime minister

[Ansarre]

I wish him the best in his retirement and wish him a quick recovery. Anyone have any insight into who could replace him?

Quite a few possible successors. Suga Yoshihide is Abe's chief of staff and is quite aligned with him. If Abe loyalists want a continuity candidate, he's their man.
Ishiba Shigeru is the most popular likely successor among voters, but he doesn't command as strong support from within the party's delegation to the House of Representatives. He's much more hawkish, considered to be a leading neoconservative to the right of Abe on military issues (though he is less supportive of repealing Article 9 than Abe). He's my favourite likely successor but I don't think he'll end up winning it. He was a candidate in 2018 and couldn't even win a third of the vote.
Konō Tarō would represent a significant shift in the LDP because he is more focused on Japan's relationship with other Asian countries than with the USA. He desires a change in monetary policy (at a time when the LDP seems to want to maintain the status quo) and has a rather liberal attitude towards economics.
Asō Tarō has been touted as a possible successor but he's too old.
Koizumi Shinjirō is the opposite to Asō Tarō, his problem is that he is too young. He's rather hawkish if memory serves, and his background (son of Koizumi Junichiro) means that he holds a bit of status and has the public image necessary to run for leadership, but given his youth I doubt he'd be able to win should he choose to run.

[Reutoa]

I'd really want Shinjirō Koizumi as the next Prime Minister, but he probably won't be sadly.

Id like to see him or Seiko Noda but it’s even more doubtful a woman becomes prime minister

Yeah I agree, hopefully something happens that shakes up the political environment there so Noda or Koizumi could become Prime Minister. They really could bring some positive change to Japan both domestically and internationally.

[San Lumen]

I wish him the best in his retirement and wish him a quick recovery. Anyone have any insight into who could replace him?

Quite a few possible successors. Suga Yoshihide is Abe's chief of staff and is quite aligned with him. If Abe loyalists want a continuity candidate, he's their man.
Ishiba Shigeru is the most popular likely successor among voters, but he doesn't command as strong support from within the party's delegation to the House of Representatives. He's much more hawkish, considered to be a leading neoconservative to the right of Abe on military issues (though he is less supportive of repealing Article 9 than Abe). He's my favourite likely successor but I don't think he'll end up winning it. He was a candidate in 2018 and couldn't even win a third of the vote.
Konō Tarō would represent a significant shift in the LDP because he is more focused on Japan's relationship with other Asian countries than with the USA. He desires a change in monetary policy (at a time when the LDP seems to want to maintain the status quo) and has a rather liberal attitude towards economics.
Asō Tarō has been touted as a possible successor but he's too old.
Koizumi Shinjirō is the opposite to Asō Tarō, his problem is that he is too young. He's rather hawkish if memory serves, and his background (son of Koizumi Junichiro) means that he holds a bit of status and has the public image necessary to run for leadership, but given his youth I doubt he'd be able to win should he choose to run.

What about Seiko Noda? Or is it very unlikely the next prime minister is a woman. If not a woman I really hope Koizumi is the next prime minister

[Ansarre]

Quite a few possible successors. Suga Yoshihide is Abe's chief of staff and is quite aligned with him. If Abe loyalists want a continuity candidate, he's their man.
Ishiba Shigeru is the most popular likely successor among voters, but he doesn't command as strong support from within the party's delegation to the House of Representatives. He's much more hawkish, considered to be a leading neoconservative to the right of Abe on military issues (though he is less supportive of repealing Article 9 than Abe). He's my favourite likely successor but I don't think he'll end up winning it. He was a candidate in 2018 and couldn't even win a third of the vote.
Konō Tarō would represent a significant shift in the LDP because he is more focused on Japan's relationship with other Asian countries than with the USA. He desires a change in monetary policy (at a time when the LDP seems to want to maintain the status quo) and has a rather liberal attitude towards economics.
Asō Tarō has been touted as a possible successor but he's too old.
Koizumi Shinjirō is the opposite to Asō Tarō, his problem is that he is too young. He's rather hawkish if memory serves, and his background (son of Koizumi Junichiro) means that he holds a bit of status and has the public image necessary to run for leadership, but given his youth I doubt he'd be able to win should he choose to run.

What about Seiko Noda? Or is it very unlikely the next prime minister is a woman

Misogyny is definitely prevalent within the LDP, and Japanese politics as a whole. The problem with the nomination process is that she needs initial support from the party to even become a nominee. Gender aside, a lot of older members of the LDP will still be frustrated her political career survived after she ran as an independent against Koizumi's preferred candidate and managed to win. If she manages to get nominated she may be in with a shot, but it depends on who her opposition is. Any other big name candidate like Konō Tarō or Shigeru would most likely defeat her.

[San Lumen]

What about Seiko Noda? Or is it very unlikely the next prime minister is a woman

Misogyny is definitely prevalent within the LDP, and Japanese politics as a whole. The problem with the nomination process is that she needs initial support from the party to even become a nominee. Gender aside, a lot of older members of the LDP will still be frustrated her political career survived after she ran as an independent against Koizumi's preferred candidate and managed to win. If she manages to get nominated she may be in with a shot, but it depends on who her opposition is. Any other big name candidate like Konō Tarō or Shigeru would most likely defeat her.

That’s terrible misogyny is prevalent in the party and politics as a whole. Are there any other women who could be contenders?

[Ansarre]

Misogyny is definitely prevalent within the LDP, and Japanese politics as a whole. The problem with the nomination process is that she needs initial support from the party to even become a nominee. Gender aside, a lot of older members of the LDP will still be frustrated her political career survived after she ran as an independent against Koizumi's preferred candidate and managed to win. If she manages to get nominated she may be in with a shot, but it depends on who her opposition is. Any other big name candidate like Konō Tarō or Shigeru would most likely defeat her.

That’s terrible misogyny is prevalent in the party and politics as a whole. Are there any other women who could be contenders?

Koike Yuriko would've been the biggest woman in the LDP until she left in 2017. I can't think of any others off the top of my head.

[Philjia]

Hey, maybe him finally resigning might stir Japan to actually tackle some of it's long term structural problems like the declining birth rate, toxic work culture, and stagnant economy.

Yeah, no chance of that.

The three are all linked together. Toxic work culture + Patriarchy -> Women take burden of house work -> Women double burden -> Women don't want to have children -> Stagnant economy.
It's necessary to ease burden of Japanese women and stop toxic work culture. Otherwise people will refuse to have children, because why will they?
And this is a problem which is in Korea and starting in China too.

Also it's harder for anyone to pursue a relationship or spend time with a family when they're constantly working overtime or doing work related activities. Abe did cap overtime at 100 hours a month, which is a start but almost certainly not enough.

[Major-Tom]

He had a promising first few years, but his Abenomics program never really came to fruition. His economic plan was just never cohesive enough and never dared to truly tackle the major structural reforms the Japanese economy needs.

Certainly a politician I disagree with, but ulcerative colitis is a walking hell, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone (well, maybe a few people). Hope he can recover from this bout, and let's hope it's not colon cancer.

[Nuroblav]

Hang on, naming your attitude towards the economy after your surname?

You know, this sounds familiar...

[Major-Tom]

The three are all linked together. Toxic work culture + Patriarchy -> Women take burden of house work -> Women double burden -> Women don't want to have children -> Stagnant economy.
It's necessary to ease burden of Japanese women and stop toxic work culture. Otherwise people will refuse to have children, because why will they?
And this is a problem which is in Korea and starting in China too.

Also it's harder for anyone to pursue a relationship or spend time with a family when they're constantly working overtime or doing work related activities. Abe did cap overtime at 100 hours a month, which is a start but almost certainly not enough.

Compare that to South Korea, which is quickly adapting to a system that needs a better work-life balance.

[Duvniask]

The three are all linked together. Toxic work culture + Patriarchy -> Women take burden of house work -> Women double burden -> Women don't want to have children -> Stagnant economy.
It's necessary to ease burden of Japanese women and stop toxic work culture. Otherwise people will refuse to have children, because why will they?
And this is a problem which is in Korea and starting in China too.

Also it's harder for anyone to pursue a relationship or spend time with a family when they're constantly working overtime or doing work related activities. Abe did cap overtime at 100 hours a month, which is a start but almost certainly not enough.

You're barely scratching the surface of how bad that law was.

You can tell it's bad when the cap is not even the limit that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends for avoiding death by overwork (karoshi), which is 80 hours of overtime a month. The proposal also increases the likelihood overwork by other means, in part because it expands the discretionary labor system. From the link in my post, it should be clear the law isn't even a guarantee that you'll "only" work 100 hours of overtime a month. It's the same old toothless bullshit from the oyajis in charge of Japan.

[Samicana]

Finally!

Maybe Japan can get a more leftist government for once. I doubt it as the liberal democrats have most of the seats in the senate, but there is at least hope that their grip on Japan will be shook a bit!

[Major-Tom]

Finally!

Maybe Japan can get a more leftist government for once. I doubt it as the liberal democrats have most of the seats in the senate, but there is at least hope that their grip on Japan will be shook a bit!

>Japan
>Leftist government

Never gonna happen.

[Sanghyeok]

Also it's harder for anyone to pursue a relationship or spend time with a family when they're constantly working overtime or doing work related activities. Abe did cap overtime at 100 hours a month, which is a start but almost certainly not enough.

You're barely scratching the surface of how bad that law was.

You can tell it's bad when the cap is not even the limit that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends for avoiding death by overwork (karoshi), which is 80 hours of overtime a month. The proposal also increases the likelihood overwork by other means, in part because it expands the discretionary labor system. From the link in my post, it should be clear the law isn't even a guarantee that you'll "only" work 100 hours of overtime a month. It's the same old toothless bullshit from the oyajis in charge of Japan.

Yes. 100 hours of overtime per month +(40 hours/week * 4 weeks/month)= 260 hours of work per month. That is 13 hours per workday, or 8 hours every single day.