Wang, Shan, and Meng Xiaoxu

Abstract: With Shinzo Abe’ s re-election as the president of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the LDP regime appears to have entered on a stable trend of long-term governance. This also marks a later phase of the Abe administration has solidified its later phase, following Abe’s second rise to power. The supremacy of the LDP and the administration of the basket of economic policies termed Abenomics have produced initial effects, and the overall climate of political opinion in Japan remains largely conservative, all factors favorable the continuance of Abe’s regime. A major task in the future to cement Abe’s political legacy would be amendment of Japan’s pacifist constitution. Abe’s political and security policies are likely not to change, namely, the promotion of multilateral cooperation in the US-Japan alliance, a moderate adjustment of Japan’s China policy, and a return to utilitarian diplomacy to maximize Japan’s national interests. Thanks to the return of the Sino-Japanese relationship to the right track, the healthy development of bilateral relations depends on the consolidation of the political foundation, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, and constructively managing and controlling disagreement. Full text available here.