Japan: Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's Agenda
Journal: Japan focus
Year: 2016

As this 4th year of the second Abe (Shinzo) government draws to a close, how are we to understand the Abe agenda? The Abe government describes itself as committed to the universal values of democracy, human rights, the rule of law. It lets fly policy “arrows” to revive and energize Japan's “hundred million people” and have Japanese women “shine.” It calls attention to Japan the beautiful. It preaches the gospel of what it calls “resilience,” and declares to the world a commitment to “positive pa