Thursday 27 December 2012

JAPAN’S CHALLENGE

Asahi Shimbun

ABE MUST AVOID ISOLATING JAPAN FROM REST OF THE WORLD

The Asahi Shimbun, December 27, 2012

After more than three years of the trouble-plagued government led by the Democratic Party of Japan, newly elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party now face the challenge of restoring stability in the nation’s politics.

Five years after he abruptly abandoned the helm of government by resigning as prime minister, Abe, having made a spectacular political comeback, has returned to the nation’s top office. But is he really ready to meet the expectations of the people who have supported the LDP’s return to power?

During those five years, the political waters surrounding Japan have become more choppy and treacherous.

There is a long list of formidable challenges confronting the nation: the devastating effects of last year’s Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and the Fukushima nuclear disaster; deflationary doldrums with no end in sight; towering government debt reaching a staggering 1,000 trillion yen ($12 trillion); bitter territorial disputes with China and South Korea; and a stalled plan to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa Prefecture.

Finding a solution to any of these problems would be a daunting task for any leader.

(...) [article here]

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