TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Abe reelected without vote as president of ruling LDP
Japanese Prime Minister SHinzo Abe speaks to reporters at his official residence in Tokyo Tuesday
Change Size
Japanese Prime Minister SHinzo Abe speaks to reporters at his official residence in Tokyo Tuesday. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/AP) (Yoshikazu Tsuno/AP)
Japanese Prime Minister SHinzo Abe speaks to reporters at his official residence in Tokyo Tuesday. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/AP)
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was reelected unopposed as president of the Liberal Democratic Party without a vote Tuesday, the day the election was officially announced.
The LDP will later hold a general meeting of party lawmakers of both chambers of the Diet to formalize Abe's reelection.
It was the first time in 14 years ' since the reelection in 2001 of then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi ' that the LDP president has been reelected without a vote.
Seiko Noda, former chief of the LDP General Council, had sought to run against Abe in the leadership race but failed to secure the recommendations of 20 LDP lawmakers required to file a candidacy.
'Abenomics is still half-finished,' Abe told reporters at the Prime Minister's Office after his reelection. 'We'll deliver a virtuous cycle of economic recovery to every corner of the country, advance the vitalization of local economies and accelerate reconstruction.'
Seiko Noda speaks at a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday morning.
He stressed that he will fulfill his responsibility by tackling various tasks and achieving results.
Referring to his uncontested reelection, Abe said, 'I believe many [LDP] lawmakers thought they would unite to fulfill pledges [made during the House of Representatives election in December last year].'
Abe's new term as the LDP president runs until the end of September 2018. This is the third time for him to win the LDP presidency. He was the LDP president during his first Cabinet in 2006.
Abe is scheduled to visit the United States late this month to attend the U.N. General Assembly. He is expected to reshuffle his Cabinet and the LDP executive lineup in early October after returning from his trip.
During an election rally at a Tokyo hotel on Tuesday morning, Abe said his administration would continue to place top priority on the economy. 'We'll completely overcome deflation via a virtuous economic cycle and achieve powerful economic growth,' he said.
Abe incorporated economic revitalization, measures to deal with the shrinking population and constitutional amendment in his pledges for the LDP presidential election campaign.
Noda expresses regret
Meanwhile, Noda announced on the day that she would not run in the race.
'I tried to run, but gave up,' she said at a press conference held in the Diet Building at about 8am.
Noda was seeking support from lawmakers close to her until the last minute to avoid Abe's reelection without a vote.
However, Noda was not able to gain the support of other lawmakers as all seven intraparty factions backed Abe's reelection.
At the press conference, Noda expressed regret, saying she wanted to hold an open LDP presidential election to give peace of mind 'to people who are anxious about the party.'
The press conference was also attended by Hidehisa Otsuji, former vice president of the House of Councillors, who was to become representative of Noda's recommenders.
Noda did not clarify how many recommendations from lawmakers she received, but said, 'As I don't have my own faction or group, I received a miracle number.' (k) (++++)
