Japan Upper House Election 21st July 2013

 Joël Legendre, Japan Correspondent of RTL France Broadcasting  on TBS 

"Sunday Morning Show 〜風をよむ〜" 

On You Tube, extract : http://youtu.be/HTpJgVjr9Rc

Japanese voters go to the polls Sunday. Half of the 242 seats in the upper legislative chamber at stake. The coalition LDP Komeito "Jiko" is expected to win majority. But the campaign was poor, the slogans did not move the crowds. Japanese that I observe since the last 20 years are more concerned by their present life, and how to maintain it than by promises of revengeful tomorrow. Social, economy, and labor issues perceived by ordinary Japanese were not clarified in this campaign. The hawkish prime minister Abe Shinzo ruling bloc asked for a blank check without disclosing the harsh reform agenda to be announced later in the year. The conservatives and their right wing associates are assured to get parliament majority, media repeatedly said, in a climate of societal uncertainty and weakness, sour regional disputes and waves of dangerous nationalism with a China rising and a tumultuous Korean peninsula. What is prevalent here is that Abe does not have, appear to have any clue to succeed in the economic reforms he pledges, except lowering Japan posture internationally. What is unfolded in front of us is a tactical power grab that will see the LDP/Komeito return to a neo-conservative agenda once Abe's camp has control over both houses of parliament. I was interviewed here on TBS TV one of the most popular Japan TV show, July 21st 2013 for "Sunday Morning Show 〜風をよむ〜". Extracts of the show.

On You Tube, extract : http://youtu.be/HTpJgVjr9Rc

Update Sunday Evening July 21st Monday 22nd 

Reading this election is a real complexity. Japanese who did not vote, and they are many, are practicing their right of veto. Thus they reject the system. So the legitimacy of the elected date class is questioned. It may therefore switch anytime. Already we see that the constitutional reform will not be that easy.