Abe to resign as prime minister

[Dutch Baka]

Well, I guess this is pretty big news... I will respond on it later myself, I just wanted to share it with you guys for now:


Abe to resign as prime minister
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday that he would resign, less than a year after he took power.

Abe decided to resign because he is facing resistance in the Diet over his attempts to extend a law that allows Japan to provide support for U.S. forces in the Indian Ocean. Several scandals involving Cabinet ministers are also believed behind his decision to quit.

"I have decided to resign," Abe told a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. "I think we should bring about a change to the political situation."

Read all (http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070912p2a00m0na018000c.html)

Related news:

Abe's resignation announcement leaves Japan in shock (http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070912p2a00m0na017000c.html)
Politicians criticize Abe over abrupt resignation (http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070912p2a00m0na016000c.html)

[cherry_cherry]

Well, I guess this is pretty big news... I will respond on it later myself, I just wanted to share it with you guys for now:


Resignation announcement around 1:00 PM

Stock dealers were hilarious around 2:00 PM and share prices went up.

Soon, they knew that there would be few able alternative politicians.

Then, share prices fell back.

This ambivalence represents current Japanese psychology very well.

[caster51]

Resignation announcement around 1:00 PM

Stock dealers were hilarious around 2:00 PM and share prices went up.

Soon, they knew that there would be few able alternative politicians.

today was 2 days before SQ.:blush:

[Mars Man]

Yes, I was able to just catch a little of this on NHK this afternoon. . . no time to sit around watching TV much. I'll check the newspapers tomorrow. Thanks for that share, Dutch Baka san !!

[ArmandV]

Well, I guess this is pretty big news... I will respond on it later myself, I just wanted to share it with you guys for now:



Related news:

Abe's resignation announcement leaves Japan in shock (http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070912p2a00m0na017000c.html)
Politicians criticize Abe over abrupt resignation (http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070912p2a00m0na016000c.html)

I was reading a news story on this and he was also criticized for not resigning immediately after his party lost the upper house. Seems the poor guy can't win.

[GodEmperorLeto]

I don't think I like this. I think enough time has passed for Japan to amend its Constitution and permit military development and enable intervention--capabilities any other sovereign nation have. I understand they "renounced war" and their constitution is essentially pacifist, but...

Anyway, things like this unsettle me. I prefer smooth, scheduled power-transitions, like at regularly scheduled elections and inaugurations. I didn't particularly like Abe, but I didn't dislike him. Let's be honest, his job was not easy.

[ArmandV]

I don't think I like this. I think enough time has passed for Japan to amend its Constitution and permit military development and enable intervention--capabilities any other sovereign nation have. I understand they "renounced war" and their constitution is essentially pacifist, but...
Anyway, things like this unsettle me. I prefer smooth, scheduled power-transitions, like at regularly scheduled elections and inaugurations. I didn't particularly like Abe, but I didn't dislike him. Let's be honest, his job was not easy.

It seems that he really didn't get started on the right foot. Almost from the beginning the "pit yorkies" were ganging up on him.

[Dutch Baka]

More news from your political reporter located in Kobe... the heart of ....

Anyway;
Japan PM quits, treated for exhaustion (http://newsonjapan.com/cgi-bin/news/link.cgi?ID=58654)
Why Abe bowed out (and who's next) (http://newsonjapan.com/cgi-bin/news/link.cgi?ID=58620)
Abe's Departure Won't Hurt The Japanese Economy - Nikkei (http://newsonjapan.com/cgi-bin/news/link.cgi?ID=58626)
Excerpts of Abe's resignation speech (http://newsonjapan.com/cgi-bin/news/link.cgi?ID=58636)
The end of a beautiful dream in Japan (http://newsonjapan.com/cgi-bin/news/link.cgi?ID=58614)
Little public sympathy for Abe's downfall (http://newsonjapan.com/cgi-bin/news/link.cgi?ID=58648)

[SushiShin]

thanks for the news! It was about time Abe resigned!

my mom was right, she said to me: i think the prime minister won't last 5 days any longer.

well, what'd you got, she is right!

[Faustianideals]

Abe was under a mountain of stress. I can't blame him for resigning. You could see it in his face. :/

[Elizabeth]

Abe was under a mountain of stress. I can't blame him for resigning. You could see it in his face. :/
The way he did it, abruptly and particularly resigning without an apology,
alone showed he was completely unqualified to be prime minister in the first place.

[Mars Man]

The way he did it, abruptly and particularly resigning without an apology,
alone showed he was completely unqualified to be prime minister in the first place.

That, is a point to consider too, I would say. I could imagine, at the same time, that it was in the 'conservativism' that he was that also could have brought that out. . . perhaps.

Good observation !! :cool:

[Tatsuki]

thanks for the news! It was about time Abe resigned!
my mom was right, she said to me: i think the prime minister won't last 5 days any longer.
well, what'd you got, she is right!


aha, so did my mother.
he had too much in his hands.
however, i thought he left to quickly, without much notice.

[SushiShin]

uhu you are right! cannot deny it was really quicly then I, myself had expected :relief:

[EmperorHirohito]

So he has finally resigned. Now which direction is Japan going to take, in political terms, left or right?

Another one bites the dust...............

[Dogen Z]

For awhile, it seems as though Aso was going to be the next PM but now Fukuda has more support :cool: as is likely to be the next PM. I always admired his dignified, intelligent manner when he worked for Koizumi, so I was happy to hear this. He would be more diplomatic than Aso when dealing with other counties (like Abe) and he probably would try to keep economic reforms that Koizumi started on the front burner. :wave:

So I think I'll throw my full political support behind Fukuda. :p I also have heard good things about the opposition party's, the Social Democratic Party's Maehara. I hope he gets a chance to run for PM some day, too. IMO, Japan needs a true 2-party system to be a more vigorous country.

[dark_secrester]

I wish Tony Blair had been as fast to leave as Abe. Blair said I quit but then took 6 months to leave.

Gordon Brown is an idiot too...

This is unfortunate. I like Abe...

[EmperorHirohito]

Dark you could always have trendy Dave as your next PM, he seems more of an idiot than the local village idiot.

[Han Chan]

I think it is cool Fukuda is going to be new PM. Having a PM who looks like Homer Simpson rules! :D