Post date: Jul 21, 2013 9:52:41 AM
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looks set for election victory as Tokyoresidents cast ballots in upper house poll.
TOKYO, JAPAN (JULY 21, 2013) (REUTERS) - Tokyo residents cast their votes on Sunday (July 21) in the upper house elections as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling bloc looks set for a handsome win.
Election victory would cement his grip on power and set the stage for Japan's first stable government since the charismatic Junichiro Koizumi left office in 2006.It would give the hawkish leader a stronger mandate for his recipe to revive the economy and spell his personal political redemption after he led his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to a humiliating defeat in a 2007 upper house election.
The ensuing parliamentary deadlock allowed the opposition to block legislation and led to Abe's resignation two months later. That "twisted parliament" has hampered policies for most of the six years since and led to a string of revolving-door leaders.
One resident felt a stable government would help Japan's image with the international community.
"The political landscape has been turned upside down every year over the past six years and that uncertainty has made Japan lose its status in the international community. So I believe it's important that we have a long-lasting government," said 73-year-old Hitoshi Kamikata, after casting his ballot for Abe's pro-business,conservative party in Tokyo.
Abe, 58, who returned to power after a big win in December's lower house poll for his LDP and coalition partner New Komeito, has said he will remain focused on fixing the economy with his "Abenomics" mix of hyper-easy monetary policy, fiscal spending and structural reforms.
But some worry that Abe's resolve for economic reform could weaken in the face of a resurgent LDP. A landslide victory could bolster opposition to regulatory reform from LDP lawmakers with close ties to industries that would suffer from change.
Another voter felt the LDP approach was not successful in tackling all issues.
"I'm happy with the way the LDP is running Japan on some issues, but when you look at the details there are other things I'm not fully convinced by - for example their approach to trade policy," said 46-year-old Naomi Adachi.
Critics also worry Abe will shift his focus to the conservative agenda that has long been close to his heart, and concentrate on revising the post-war pacifist constitution and recasting Tokyo's wartime history with a less apologetic tone.
Such a shift, along with moves to strengthen Japan's defense posture, would further fray ties with China and South Korea, where bitter memories of Japan's past militarism run deep. Tokyo is already engaged in tense territorial rows with Beijingand Seoul over tiny, uninhabited islands.