We have much to learn from the Japanese
In Japan, when a leader loses the confidence of the people because his government is a scandal-filled homage to nationalistic paranoia, he falls on his sword.
“Abe to resign as Japanese PM”
TOKYO, Japan (CNN) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced his resignation Wednesday at a news conference in Tokyo after serving one year in office.
“A short while ago I informed officials about my intentions to resign,” Abe said, underscoring the need to “be careful not to create a void in the political leadership.”
There have been very few bright days for Abe, whose support rating has dropped to 30 percent, and his LDP since they lost control of the upper house of Japan’s parliament to the opposition in July’s elections — results Abe described as “very bad.”
Since reshuffling his cabinet two weeks ago, Abe has lost four party members to scandals: his new agricultural minister (the second in a month), a deputy foreign minister, a mid-ranking parliamentarian and a newly elected member of Japan’s upper house have all resigned over allegations of financial or electoral misconduct.
Abe’s nationalist focus on such ideological issues as patriotism and constitutional reform also weakened his influence at a time when many Japanese are more concerned with economic and social problems such as the widening gap between rich and poor.
We have much to learn from our friends in Japan.
–WKW