Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe dead at 67

[Yu Ominae]

Yamagami admitted that he wanted to use explosives when Abe was campaigning in Nara. If done, could've been mass casualties.

He then decided to use his improvised pistol instead. (Going with this terminology as the prefectural police (in Nara) says that this is the case even though the weapon was used like a shotgun)

National Police Agency is going to review if the security plan drawn up was not good enough.

[Sheba]

People who are throwing a fit about Abe wanting to undo article 9, I have several questions:

- Do you really expect Xi to stop his bullying of Philippines and Vietnam on their national waters and try to claim islands under the nose of Japan, if we ask him nicely? Seriously?

- Do you really think Americans want to spend taxpayer money to guard the Asia Pacific if they had the option to lighten the load on their navy?

The way you phrase your concerns about article 9, you make it sound like Japa will literally repeat Unit 731 and Nankin the instant the article is lifted.

With assholes like Putin and Xi Ping, asking nicely is no more an option. Seeing how far Putin was willing to go, maybe rebuild armies to show them that you are not going to bend the knee to their whims is not a bad option. We have conceded far too much and those guys were allowed to do as they please too much.

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Sheba

- Do you really think Americans want to spend taxpayer money to guard the Asia Pacific if they had the option to lighten the load on their navy?

Implying America would ever spend less money on its military.

Originally Posted by Sheba

With assholes like Putin and Xi Ping, asking nicely is no more an option. Seeing how far Putin was willing to go, maybe rebuild armies to show them that you are not going to bend the knee to their whims is not a bad option. We have conceded far too much and those guys were allowed to do as they please too much.

If they aren't deterred by America or the EU, they sure as hell won't be deterred by Japan even if it armies up.

[Yu Ominae]

https://twitter.com/YosukeBuchmeier/...20660484853760

A twitter post on why the Japanese media does not report on things that are already being made obvious. In this case, the connection of the Abes with the Unification Church.

[mangamuscle]

Originally Posted by GDB

Implying America would ever spend less money on its military.

The USA wants it's partners to spend at least 2% of GDP into their own military, that is a well known fact.

If they aren't deterred by America or the EU, they sure as hell won't be deterred by Japan even if it armies up.

Then it is even more important to have a military force that can repel and neutralize any attack on the spot. Russia atm might not be a big threat on asia, but if Xi ever successfully invades Taiwan, there is no reason to think it wont wet his appetite for conquest.

[Yu Ominae]

There's been attempt of copycat attacks in Singapore and Taiwan.

Both cases are foiled by the police.

[serenade_beta]

Originally Posted by mangamuscle

if Xi ever successfully invades Taiwan, there is no reason to think it wont wet his appetite for conquest.

Why would Xi need to invade Taiwan? It makes even less sense than Putin invading Ukraine

[Ithekro]

The DDP is currently in power and their stance is that of an independent Taiwan, which is in opposition to the Chinese party line that Taiwan is part of China, and the old KMT party line that they are still China and the whole concept of "One China principle".

Also the DDP sides heavily with the United States and Japan in terms of defense.

[shmaster]

Count me in as one of those who felt a little relief that Abe died.
I am same in believing that man had too much power and at same type too imperialistic.
Hell, unless Japanese finally admit they committed the massacre in Nankin, I'll forever feel uncomfortable with any pro militaristic move from Japan.

But I am also in the camp that believe, by orincipal, article 9 deserves revision and Japan should be allowed of its own military. But unwilling to support it because LDP is just terrible.

[Yu Ominae]

I've seen people asking why Abe didn't have a lot of security provided by the TMPD.

It's mostly because Abe believes Japan is a safe country and the security protection provided to him dropped a few years after he left Japanese politics.

[mangamuscle]

Originally Posted by Yu Ominae

There's been attempt of copycat attacks in Singapore and Taiwan.

Both cases are foiled by the policec.

*Hold my beer*

Brazil party official shot dead as pre-election political violence escalates

https://www.reuters.com/world/americ...es-2022-07-10/

The article above identifies him merely as a "party official", in other notes (not in english) says he was the treasurer of lula's party, who runs against bolsonaro in this october presidential elections. Any bets if a copycat will appear next in the USA?

[Yu Ominae]

While tragic (and it happened on a Saturday), I'm not sure if it can be called a copycat attack. Have yet to see any political scientist/analyst treat it as such for now.

[Yu Ominae]

Livestream of the funeral ceremony.

[Key Board]

Originally Posted by shmaster

Count me in as one of those who felt a little relief that Abe died.
I am same in believing that man had too much power and at same type too imperialistic.
Hell, unless Japanese finally admit they committed the massacre in Nankin, I'll forever feel uncomfortable with any pro militaristic move from Japan.

But I am also in the camp that believe, by orincipal, article 9 deserves revision and Japan should be allowed of its own military. But unwilling to support it because LDP is just terrible.

Perhaps, but it's also possible they're going to use this to crack down on LDP rivals and critiques

//

[Yu Ominae]

Originally Posted by mangamuscle

I will now share my not popular opinion. While I do not condone homicide, in the long run this might be positive for japan, because the concentration of political power in just one man is the antithesis of democracy and does not benefit a nation (see russia, turkey venezuela, cuba, etc.).

I feel like this view (or using fascist) is a word that's easily thrown around.

While people dislike (and I do agree in some aspects) that Abe and his family have "interesting links" with religious groups like the Unification Church and the scandals that came around him with the LDP alongside the usual downplay of what Imperial Japan did, Abe didn't do anything that would suggest a dictatorship and there's no major cases of election fraud nor is there any cases of the media being "attacked".

Personally, I'd throw those in with Duterte (and maybe Marcos Jr.).

[Guardian Enzo]

Abe did plenty to control the media, believe me. Not to mention manouvering to get a friendly prosecutor in place to avoid a conviction over a couple of his especially egregious fraud escapades.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...ex-japan-fall/

[Yu Ominae]

That friendly prosecutor incident gets no BS pass believe me. I remember having to talk about that incident in my internship.

I remember hearing about the RWB report. At least no media outlets were being closed, last I heard. Of course I'll take it back if there was known pressure for a media outlet to close up shop like what's happening in HK.

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Meanwhile, I think the SP protection will stick with Akie-san for a bit.

[Sheba]

Media control is also in France as well, gotta love how the news of Macron selling out to Uber didnt spread during the elections. The usual newspapers (Mediapart and Canard Enchaîné) who dig out scandals were unusually passive in election times.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Yu Ominae

That friendly prosecutor incident gets no BS pass believe me. I remember having to talk about that incident in my internship.

I remember hearing about the RWB report. At least no media outlets were being closed, last I heard. Of course I'll take it back if there was known pressure for a media outlet to close up shop like what's happening in HK.

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If your benchmark is a Chinese-controlled territory sure, they’re great. You’d be hard pressed to set the bar much lower.

For the record, France came in #26 in the 2022 index. Japan was 71st - just behind Kenya and Haiti.

[Guardian Enzo]

Here’s a report on what life was like for the press when Abe was premier:

https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/05/27...nzo-abe-media/