Abe looks to bolster US ties as Japan's prime minister
Source: Agencies |
December 27, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday vowed to battle deflation and a strong yen and bolster ties with the United States as he kicked off a second administration committed to reviving the economy while coping with a rising China.
A hawk on security matters, Abe, 58, has promised aggressive monetary easing by the Bank of Japan and big fiscal spending by the debt-laden government to slay deflation and weaken the yen to make Japanese exports more competitive.
Critics worry, however, that he will pay too little heed to the reforms needed to generate growth despite an aging, shrinking population and reform a creaking social welfare system.
The grandson of a former prime minister, Abe has staged a stunning comeback five years after abruptly resigning as premier in the wake of a one-year term troubled partly by scandals in his Cabinet and public outrage over lost pension records.
"With the strength of my entire Cabinet, I will implement bold monetary policy, flexible fiscal policy and a growth strategy that encourages private investment, and with these three policy pillars, achieve results," Abe told reporters after parliament voted him in as Japan's seventh prime minister in six years.
Abe appointed a Cabinet of close allies in key posts, but leavened the line-up with Liberal Democratic Party rivals to fend off the criticism of cronyism that dogged his first administration.
Former Prime Minister Taro Aso, 72, was named finance minister and also received the financial services portfolio.
Ex-trade and industry minister Akira Amari becomes minister for economic revival.
Policy veteran Toshimitsu Motegi, as trade minister, will be tasked with formulating energy policy in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster last year.
Loyal Abe backer Yoshihide Suga was appointed chief Cabinet secretary, a key post combining the job of top government spokesman with responsibility for coordinating among ministries.
Others who share Abe's agenda to revise the pacifist constitution and rewrite Japan's wartime history with a less apologetic tone were also given posts, including conservative lawmaker Hakubun Shimomura as education minister.
Fiscal hawk Sadakazu Tanigaki, whom Abe replaced as LDP leader in September, becomes justice minister while two rivals who ran unsuccessfully in that party race -Yoshimasa Hayashi and Nobuteru Ishihara - got the agriculture and environment/nuclear crisis portfolios respectively.
During the election campaign, Abe promised to take a tough stance in territorial rows with China and South Korea, while placing priority on strengthening Japan's alliance with the US.
Yesterday, he repeated his resolve to firm up ties with Washington and his intention to protect "the people's lives, Japanese territory and its beautiful oceans."
Abe, who hails from a high-profile political family, made his first overseas visit to China to repair chilly ties when he took office in 2006, but has said his first trip this time will be to the US.
A hawk on security matters, Abe, 58, has promised aggressive monetary easing by the Bank of Japan and big fiscal spending by the debt-laden government to slay deflation and weaken the yen to make Japanese exports more competitive.
Critics worry, however, that he will pay too little heed to the reforms needed to generate growth despite an aging, shrinking population and reform a creaking social welfare system.
The grandson of a former prime minister, Abe has staged a stunning comeback five years after abruptly resigning as premier in the wake of a one-year term troubled partly by scandals in his Cabinet and public outrage over lost pension records.
"With the strength of my entire Cabinet, I will implement bold monetary policy, flexible fiscal policy and a growth strategy that encourages private investment, and with these three policy pillars, achieve results," Abe told reporters after parliament voted him in as Japan's seventh prime minister in six years.
Abe appointed a Cabinet of close allies in key posts, but leavened the line-up with Liberal Democratic Party rivals to fend off the criticism of cronyism that dogged his first administration.
Former Prime Minister Taro Aso, 72, was named finance minister and also received the financial services portfolio.
Ex-trade and industry minister Akira Amari becomes minister for economic revival.
Policy veteran Toshimitsu Motegi, as trade minister, will be tasked with formulating energy policy in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster last year.
Loyal Abe backer Yoshihide Suga was appointed chief Cabinet secretary, a key post combining the job of top government spokesman with responsibility for coordinating among ministries.
Others who share Abe's agenda to revise the pacifist constitution and rewrite Japan's wartime history with a less apologetic tone were also given posts, including conservative lawmaker Hakubun Shimomura as education minister.
Fiscal hawk Sadakazu Tanigaki, whom Abe replaced as LDP leader in September, becomes justice minister while two rivals who ran unsuccessfully in that party race -Yoshimasa Hayashi and Nobuteru Ishihara - got the agriculture and environment/nuclear crisis portfolios respectively.
During the election campaign, Abe promised to take a tough stance in territorial rows with China and South Korea, while placing priority on strengthening Japan's alliance with the US.
Yesterday, he repeated his resolve to firm up ties with Washington and his intention to protect "the people's lives, Japanese territory and its beautiful oceans."
Abe, who hails from a high-profile political family, made his first overseas visit to China to repair chilly ties when he took office in 2006, but has said his first trip this time will be to the US.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
