Japan General Discussion

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Could the large number of undecided voters be because Japanese polling firms don't prod the voters enough? Are they more likely to swing to the incumbents or the opposition?

Also lol at the sheer number of parties forming and folding

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Perhaps the curse of Abe's abysmal first term is heading back with a vengeance. The IMF has also slashed Japan's predicted growth, blaming the consumption tax rise.

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4.98 trillion yen in the 2015 defence budget. That is 5% of the national budget and the highest share for defence in Japan since the bad times.

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I still don't get how Abe can be doing so well, when literally all of his policy proposals are deeply underwater amongst the public. Well that's a lie, I do know the reason:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2015/06/24/commentary/japan-commentary/pathetic-state-dpj/#.VY23i4ikqK0

But I still find it baffling and depressing.

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Seems like bad politicking IMO. Pass them quick, and then pass some giveaway bonanza bill.

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Abe has scrapped Zaha Hadid's 2billion pound Olympics stadium mid-project, citing escalating costs.

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Abe has scrapped Zaha Hadid's 2billion pound Olympics stadium mid-project, citing escalating costs.

Very good.

Inclined to agree with you. I don't mind Hadid, but this project was a bit naff. It does show Abe, however, is beginning to panic amid various unpopular projects going down like a lead balloon amongst the public. I suppose this (unlike say the nuclear plants, the Okinawa military base etc.) was the easiest thing to ditch while juggling Abe's priorities.

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He couldn't have found less disturbingly fleshlike representations of fire?

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Abe was heckled at the Hiroshima memorial.

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Just saying jaichind, I find it interesting; but could you use the Latin alphabet? The random kanji symbols kind of make your text harder to read, especially in a Western forum.

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Could it occur from an attack on the dynastic nature of Japanese politics? Am I right in saying that most of the important politicians are children and grandchildren of the old elite?

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Do jCP refuse to work with other parties under all circumstances like, say, KkE?

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Wait the PLP? They're inviting freaking Ichiro Ozawa back? Lmao

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Oh Japan, sometimes you make jokes just too easy.

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Why do the Japanese right give their parties such horrendously creepy names?

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What are the demographics of this hawk revival electorate? Old? young? rich or poor? urban or rural? etc.

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have the JCP ever mused about changing their name or is there less stigma attached to "communism" in Japan?

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How powerful are prefectural governments? I always was under the impression the central government was pretty overpowered, and therefore they could do jack about nuclear plants or what have you.

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what kind of areas are they? Working-class?

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RIP RENHO

SAVIOUR OF JAPANESE LEFT (2016-16)

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I don't really follow Japanese politics but I am curious why is LDP so popular without any opposition?
Is Japan really that right-wing?  How do young people vote?

Last time, young voters (including the newly enfranchised 18 and 19 year olds) swung quite heavily behind the LDP (50 percent of them voted for the LDP and its junior ally NK). Coming into political conscienceness in the chaos of the DPJ era probably soured their opinion of the opposition. And politics in general, which is why vote turnout for the youth is pretty lousy. (The LDP literally released a manga starring a high school girl learning the importance of voting which is a pretty Japanese thing to happen).

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I know idealogy is a peculiar thing in Japan, but how should we characterise Koike's governing style? Any interesting flagship policies?

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DP          4.0 (-1.3)

Lol

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I liked Kan tbh

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I think DP should look into bring back Ozawa and LP back into DP. See this chart which I posted before on a history of PR votes share in Japanese national elections.

               LDP+           Third Pole         Center-Left        JCP
2000       41.70              12.37             34.17            11.23
2001       55.96              11.53             24.61              7.91
2003       49.73                                    42.51              7.76
2004       45.44                0.23             46.53              7.80
2005       51.43                4.80             36.51              7.25
2007       41.26                5.70             45.55              7.48
2009       38.18                8.02             46.68              7.03
2010       37.14              20.65             36.11              6.10
2012       39.45              30.38             24.05              6.13
2013       48.90              22.21             19.21              9.68
2014       46.82              18.40             22.72            11.37
2016       49.44              12.20             26.46            10.74

In the years Ozawa was part of DPJ/DP 2002-2011, the Center-Left vote share never fell below 35%.  In the years where Ozawa is not party of DPJ/DP, pre-2002 and post-2011, the Center-Left vote share was never above 35%.

Yes, this sounds good until you remember Ozawa is still Ozawa.