Abe should not offend neighbors amid winning landslide victory

The Liberal Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a landslide victory at Sunday`s House of Councilors election winning the majority seats. By garnering 65 seats at the election, the party significantly increased its seats to 115 including the uncontested 50 seats that were not at stake in the upper house election. Including the 20-seats held by its coalition partner New Komeito Party, the ruling coalition has secured a total of 135 seats, representing a solid majority of the House of Councilors.

Since the ruling party garnered 325 seats, more than two thirds of the 480 seats, at the House of Representatives election in December last year and there is no additional parliamentary election over the next three years, it is effectively set to enjoy undisputed dominance.

Abe’s overwhelming victory stems from Japanese people’s expectation for economic recovery through the so-called “Abenomics” economic policy. Due to Abe’s economic policy aiming to shore up the economy by injecting ample liquidity into the market, the stock market has surged and the economy has shown signs of revival amid heightened export competitiveness, which resulted from the yen’s depreciation. But it is crucial to maintain the economic policy.

Korea is interested in the direction of external policy of the Abe administration, which has acquired solid power base by securing control of both houses of parliament. As Abe openly vowed to transform Japan into a “normal country” by amending Article 9 of the country’s pacifist constitution when he takes power, there is a chance that he will begin process to revise the Constitution in earnest. For starters, both chambers of parliament will seek to focus on revising the provision that can suggest the quorum required for submission of a revision bill to the Constitution from two thirds of the registered members of the bicameral Diet to one-half.

Japan’s lack of privilege that other countries are enjoying is mainly due to a well-earned punishment. Japanese leadership including Abe have openly made statements seemingly denying Japan’s aggressions during the Second World War and its responsibility for comfort women for the Japanese military, the worst wartime sex slaves in the modern history. During the first Cabinet under his leadership between 2006 and 2007, Abe even said he “truly regretted” that he did not pay respect at the Yasukuni Shrine where convicted Class A war criminals are enshrined. Japan should seriously take the fact that the Korea-China-Japan summit, which was regularly held in every May, has been postponed indefinitely due to Japan’s poor recognition of its past history, even after Korea held summit talks with the U.S. and China in succession.

How Abe will behave on August 15, the anniversary of Japan`s defeat in World War II, is an important barometer. If he pushes ahead with a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine or make remarks denying past history of Japan’s aggressions, Japan will have little chance to gain cooperation with the international community that it wants. With gaining stronger power base with a solid election win, Abe should keep in mind that he has a bigger responsibility to take going forward.