RIGHT-WING OR CONSERVATIVE?

THE FOREIGN MEDIA'S VIEW OF

SHINZO ABE AND THE RETURN OF THE LDP

Eric Johnston

Kansai University of Foreign Studies

April 15th, 2013

RIGHT WING DEFINED:

``members of a conservative or reactionary political party, or those

opposing extensive political reform. ‘’

CONSERVATIVE DEFINED:

1) Attending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions

2) Marked by moderation or caution

3) Marked by or relating to traditional norms of taste, style, or manners

THE DECEMBER 2012 LOWER HOUSE

CAMPAIGNWhat Did Abe Want to Do?

「取り戻す」英語 : RETRIEVE, RECOVER,

REDEEM, TAKE BACK

Retrieve Japan? From what?

Take Back Japan? To Where?

Redeem Japan? What did it do wrong?

Recover Japan? Recover it from What? From Who?

これを取り戻したい？

The Heian Period?

Era of peace, tranquility, no civil

wars, Japanese arts and culture

flourishing?

Kyoto the capital of the country?

Great respect for China?

これを取り戻したい？

To a feudal system of government?

To samurai warriors running the country?

To peasants knowing their place and not challenging

samurai rule?

To Japan closed to the outside world?

これを取り戻したい？

The Meiji Period?

To the emperor and small band of oligarchs running the country?

To the age of 和魂洋才 (wakon yosai) ``Japanese spirit/Western learning’’ which means ``Keep Western technology, Reject Western ideology’’?

Fight wars with China, Russia, and Korea, and become main military power in Asia?

これを取り戻したい？To the Prewar Period?

Strong military?

Militaristic education?

Emperor worship?

Attempt to colonize China?

Bad relations with virtually everybody except Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and leaders in Asian countries (Indonesia, Burma, Taiwan) friendly to Japan?

これを取り戻したい？To the Immediate Postwar Years?

A time of hard-working men who rebuilt Japan and worked long hours without complaint?

A time of women who stayed at home and raised their children?

A time when people had less material goods but had a national purpose and worked toward a common goal?

A time when industry was king, everybody hated liberals and communists, the Yomiuri Giants were guaranteed to win every year, and nobody worried about environmental pollution or the social costs of pursuing an ``economic/industry-first’’ policy.

それとも、これを取り戻したい？

The Late 1980s Bubble Economy Period

A time when Japan was Number One?

A time when the world respected and admired Japanese industry and people for being intelligent and hard working?

A time when people had lots of money, felt good, partied, and spent it on luxury brand items and foreign travel?

A time when women become more independent, aggressive, and entered the workforce in greater numbers than ever?

A time when Western culture in Japan was at its most popular?

THE ANSWER WAS ``WE DON’T REALLY KNOW. BUT GIVEN HIS PAST, AND

STATED BELIEFS, WE CERTAINLY KNOW HE IS NOT

GOING TO BE A PROGRESSIVE OR A

LIBERAL.’’

Thus, the following kinds of reports. . .

JAPAN ELECTS CONSERVATIVE SHINZO ABE

AS NEW PRIME MINISTER

Associated Press (Dec. 12th):  Japan's parliament elected Shinzo Abe as the nation's prime minister on Wednesday, ending three years of rule by liberal administrations and bringing back to power the conservative, pro-big business party…

JAPAN'S SHINZO ABE: COMEBACK KID WITH CONSERVATIVE AGENDA

Fri Dec 14

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Shinzo Abe may be thoroughly modern when it comes to pitching his policies on a widely followed Facebook page, but his conservative agenda for shedding the shackles of post-war pacifism is one that he learned at his grandfather's knee.

'CONSERVATIVE HAWK' SHINZO ABE WANTS TO CHANGE

JAPAN'S 'WAR-RENOUNCING' CONSTITUTION

By Asian News International – Mon 17 Dec, 2012

Tokyo, Dec 17 (ANI): Japan's presumptive next prime minister Shinzo Abe is a conservative hawk who openly proposes revising the war-renouncing Constitution to bolster country's military capabilities

CONSERVATIVES MAKE A COMEBACK IN JAPAN

Los Angeles TimesDecember 16, 2012

Japan’s conservative former ruling party made a dramatic comeback in elections Sunday, riding a wave of anxiety about rising China and economic stagnation.

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO

``The conservative LDP's hawkish leader, Shinzo Abe, will become Japan's prime minister for the second time.’’

Shinzo Abe’s appointment of a scarily right-wing

cabinet bodes ill for the region

JAPAN'S POLITICAL LURCH TO THE RIGHT

``THE ELECTION OF RIGHT-WING SHINZO ABE IN JAPAN WILL BRING AN INCREASE IN TENSIONS IN EAST ASIA BUT REFORM

FOR AN AILING ECONOMY’’

The victory puts Mr. Abe, 58, a former Prime Minister and outspoken nationalist at Japan’s helm.

``THE LDP LEADER IS SEEN AS HAWKISH WITH A NATIONALISTIC BENT, AND CHARISMATIC, IF NOT

PARTICULARLY POPULAR’’

DECEMBER 16: ``THE CONSERVATIVE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY (LDP) OF SHINZO ABE HAS WON THE JAPANESE ELECTION, EXIT POLLS PREDICT. HE IS SEEN AS A HAWKISH, RIGHT-OF-CENTRE LEADER WHOSE PREVIOUS TERM IN OFFICE ENDED IGNOMINIOUSLY AMID FALLING POPULARITY AND A RESIGNATION ON GROUNDS OF ILL HEALTH.

DECEMBER 17: ``THE MAN EXPECTED TO BE PRIME MINISTER, SHINZO ABE, A RIGHT-WING NATIONALIST, HAS RESTATED JAPAN'S CLAIMS TO DISPUTED ISLANDS IN THE EAST CHINA SEA.’’

WERE THE LABELS ``CONSERVATIVE’’, ``RIGHT WING’’,

``CONSERVATIVE HAWK’’ APPROPRIATE?

Given the groups Abe and his Cabinet belonged to, it’s easy to see why the

terms were used…

PRIME MINISTER SHINZO ABE

Diet Groups to Which Prime Minister Abe belongs:

歴史 = 自民党歴史・検討委員会 )

日本（副幹事長 =日本会議国会議員懇談会

教科書（顧問 = 日本の前途と歴史史教科書を考える議員の会

神道（会長）神道政治連盟国会議員懇談会

靖国みんなで靖国神社に参拝する議員の会

改憲、同盟（顧問 )= 憲法調査推進議員連盟（超党派の改憲議連）創生（会長 = 創生「日本」（「戦後レジーム」からの脱却、改憲をめざす超党派議員連盟）

拉致（顧問 )= 北朝鮮に拉致された日本人を早期に救出するために行動する議員連盟

慰安婦 = 米・ニュージャージー州「スターレッジャー」に「慰安婦」否定の意見広告

IDEOLOGICAL BREAKDOWN OF THE ABE CABINET第二次安部晋三内閣24人はこのような議員連盟に所属

神道政治連盟国会議員懇談会： 20人　（思想・目的：女性天皇反対、米の自由貿易反対、在日韓国人の地方投票権利反対、外国人に森の土地や「重要土地」販売反対、「愛国的、精神的な教育」支持、男女共同参画教育反対

みんなで靖国神社に参拝する議員の会： 19人（思想・目的：　 8 月 15 日国会議員として正式的な靖国神社に参拝することを促進）

日本会議： 17人（思想・目的：憲法改正、精神教育促進、君が代、日の丸への尊重、日本歴史、文化の中、天皇制度の中心的な役割）

IDEOLOGICAL BREAKDOWN OF THE ABE CABINET

第二次安部晋三内閣 24人はこのような議員連盟に所属

憲法調査推進議員連盟 15人：（思想・目的：憲法九条を改正）

日本の前途と歴史教科書を考える議員の会： 10人（思想・目的：南京大虐殺、慰安婦史は教科書から外して「愛国的な価値観」を学校で教えることを目指しています。

慰安婦問題は日本の責任はないとの立場を正式的に支持している 7人もいます。

TOKYO – PRIME MINISTER SHINZO ABE SAYS HIS TOP PRIORITY WHEN HE MEETS WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA IN WASHINGTON ON FRIDAY WILL BE REPAIRING THE U.S.-JAPAN SECURITY ALLIANCE. OBAMA’S PRIORITY OUGHT TO BE MAKING SURE THAT ABE’S RIGHT-WING FANTASIES DON’T WRECK IT ENTIRELY.

BUT BY FEBRUARY, THE TONE OF THE

COVERAGE BEGINS TO CHANGE.

TAHARA, JAPAN (MARCH 6) — JUST TWO MONTHS INTO OFFICE, PRIME MINISTER SHINZO ABE IS SHOWING AN INCREASING WILLINGNESS TO TAKE ON SOME PILLARS OF JAPAN’S ESTABLISHMENT — THE CENTRAL BANK AND THE COUNTRY’S POLITICALLY INFLUENTIAL FARMERS — IN AN AGGRESSIVE ATTEMPT TO FINALLY BREATHE SOME NEW LIFE INTO JAPAN’S LISTLESS ECONOMY.

(MARCH 13) JAPAN PM HOPES TO EASE CHINA, SOUTH KOREA TIES

``FOR PROSPERITY AND STABILITY IN THE REGION, IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE THREE OF US TO BUILD MUTUAL

UNDERSTANDING. I WANT TO SAY THAT JAPAN’S DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN TOWARD CHINA,’’ ABE SAID.

BUT HE ADDED THAT ``PROVOCATIONS ARE CONTINUING AGAINST OUR COUNTRY’S TERRITORIAL LAND, SEA, AND

AIR.’’

(MARCH 18) JAPAN PM SHINZO ABE’S PACIFIC TRADE

PACT GAMBIT PAYS OFF, FOR NOW

JAPANESE PM SHINZO ABE’S SUPPORT RATINGS INCH UP AFTER TPP ANNOUNCEMENT; MAJORITY

OF JAPANESE BACK ABE’S MOVE

(MARCH 26) IT’S RARE THAT THE SEQUEL IS BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL MOVIE, BUT SO FAR SHINZO ABE II IS DOING MUCH BETTER AT THE BOX OFFICE THAN ITS ILL-FATED PREQUEL.

(APRIL 12) JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE AGREED ON A DEAL TO ALLOW TOKYO TO JOIN TALKS ON A U.S.-LED ASIA-PACIFIC FREE TRADE PACT THAT PRIME MINISTER SHINZO ABE IS MAKING A KEYSTONE OF HIS STRATEGY TO OPEN JAPAN'S ECONOMY AND SPUR LONG-SOUGHT GROWTH.

WHAT CHANGED?An effort by many Japan policy experts in the U.S. and in Tokyo to convince Western media that Abe was not as right-wing as he might seem (difference between campaign rhetoric and governing reality)

A better-than-expected summit meeting with U.S. president Barack Obama in February.

Continued problems with China, new problems with North Korea gained Abe some international sympathy.

Abe taking on political establishment to meet goals (return of Futenma, joining TPP) desired by many in Washington as well as many in Japan.

Lack of a clear, coherent opposition in Japan to challenge Abe. Lack of strong opponents within the LDP.

A fear among many foreign reporters that politicians more extreme than Abe could take power.

QUESTIONS BEING ASKED BY FOREIGN MEDIA

Will the LDP and New Komeito win a two-thirds supermajority in the Upper House?

If they do not win a supermajority, will they tie up with Nippon Ishin no Kai or Minna no To?

Will Abe’s determination to participate in TPP hurt the LDP?

Will the Constitution be revised (Article 96)?

Will Abenomics still be popular by the election?

If the LDP loses big, will Abe resign?

Foreign correspondents in Japan discussing the political situation.

GENERAL TENDENCIES OF FOREIGN MEDIA COVERAGE OF

ABE1) Abe and his Cabinet have

conservative, traditional, and even right-wing domestic policy views, but their foreign policy (U.S.-Japan relations, North Korea, China) shows they are (1) pro-U.S.; and (2) ``pragmatic’’. In other words, Abe is pursuing a foreign policy that U.S. and Western media foreign policy ``experts’’ agree with.

2) Abe’s domestic economic policy of ``Abenomics’’ might not work, but joining TPP will help.

3) Abe is willing to take on traditional LDP support groups like farmers, at least rhetorically, making him a ``tough’’ leader.

4) Most foreign media understand that Abe is limited in what he can do because of the twisted Diet.

5) Asian, especially Chinese, media continue to remain suspicious of Abe’s motives.

6) Foreign media interested only in Abe’s foreign policy, and whether it is ``Right Wing’’ or ``Conservative’’. Nobody really cares about whether Abe’s domestic social policies are right wing or conservative.

FINALLY, WHO CARES WHAT THE FOREIGN MEDIA THINKS?

OR, WHY ABE’S REPUTATION ABROAD MATTERS TO YOU, AS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

1) Nobody attempting to understand a host of issues, ranging from TPP to Okinawa to the Senkakus, to North Korea, to Japanese fiscal policy, to how Japan is responding to the Tohoku quake and Fukushima, to energy issues can do so unless there is a good understanding of how the major media around the world see Abe and Japanese politics.

2) Whether or not you agree with Abe and his Cabinet, as Japanese citizens, they are your democratically-elected representatives and you, personally, are judged by those who read the media reports of their actions on your behalf.

3) You cannot possibly communicate intelligently with the outside world if you have no idea how the world, through the lens of the international media, sees your leadership.

THANK YOU!

I’LL TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS NOW!