Japan's Abe announces resignation David Pilling
Thursday, 13 September 2007
FT Syndication Service
TOKYO: Shinzo Abe on Wednesday plunged Japan into political crisis by announcing his resignation only two days after parliament reconvened for an extraordinary session.
Mr Abe, who refused to quit after July's disastrous defeat in upper house elections, said he had decided to resign on Wednesday because lack of public trust made passage of an anti-terror law extremely difficult.
The prime minister, who called an emergency press conference to announce his decision, said he had sought a compromise with the opposition but that Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, had refused to see him. Mr Ozawa later denied any such meeting had been requested.
Mr Abe said his Liberal Democratic Party should pick a new leader as quickly as possible so that the anti-terror law, which allows Japan to refuel ships in the Indian ocean, could be passed.
"We should seek a continued mission to fight terrorism under a new prime minister," he said.
Taro Aso, secretary-general of the LDP, said the party would hold an election next week to "avoid a political vacuum". Mr Aso, a conservative like Mr Abe, is considered the most likely successor as LDP leader and hence prime minister. But other candidates, including Sadakazu Tanigaki, former finance minister, could yet emerge as contenders.
Japanese shares gave up earlier gains on news of Mr Abe's resignation, with the Nikkei 225 ending down 0.5 per cent at 15,797.60.
Parliamentarians in the now-rudderless LDP are likely to resist calls for a snap election for fear of losing their seats and, perhaps, their party's parliamentary majority.
Mr Ozawa has been pressing for a dissolution of the lower house, but Wednesday he said it was for the new leader of the LDP to decide what course to take. The LDP has run Japan, with one nine-month hiatus, for more than half a century since 1955.
Jesper Koll, president of Tantallon Research Japan, part of an Asian hedge fund, said he was baffled by the timing of Mr Abe's resignation. Referring to the samurai code of honour and bravery that Mr Abe has sometimes invoked during his premiership, he said: "This is not bushido. This is chicken."
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the socialist party, said: "The timing is really awful. This is really irresponsible." She said it was inconceivable that Mr Abe should have hung on after July's electoral thrashing, opened parliament and even given a big policy speech on Monday, before tamely quitting for no obvious reason.
Kaoru Yosano, chief cabinet secretary, said that although the prime minister had not mentioned it, Mr Abe's deteriorating health may have played a part in his decision. "We have been worried about his health, particularly during his [recent] trip to south-east Asia," he said. The prime minister has been looking visibly tired and deflated in recent days.
TOKYO: Shinzo Abe on Wednesday plunged Japan into political crisis by announcing his resignation only two days after parliament reconvened for an extraordinary session.
Mr Abe, who refused to quit after July's disastrous defeat in upper house elections, said he had decided to resign on Wednesday because lack of public trust made passage of an anti-terror law extremely difficult.
The prime minister, who called an emergency press conference to announce his decision, said he had sought a compromise with the opposition but that Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, had refused to see him. Mr Ozawa later denied any such meeting had been requested.
Mr Abe said his Liberal Democratic Party should pick a new leader as quickly as possible so that the anti-terror law, which allows Japan to refuel ships in the Indian ocean, could be passed.
"We should seek a continued mission to fight terrorism under a new prime minister," he said.
Taro Aso, secretary-general of the LDP, said the party would hold an election next week to "avoid a political vacuum". Mr Aso, a conservative like Mr Abe, is considered the most likely successor as LDP leader and hence prime minister. But other candidates, including Sadakazu Tanigaki, former finance minister, could yet emerge as contenders.
Japanese shares gave up earlier gains on news of Mr Abe's resignation, with the Nikkei 225 ending down 0.5 per cent at 15,797.60.
Parliamentarians in the now-rudderless LDP are likely to resist calls for a snap election for fear of losing their seats and, perhaps, their party's parliamentary majority.
Mr Ozawa has been pressing for a dissolution of the lower house, but Wednesday he said it was for the new leader of the LDP to decide what course to take. The LDP has run Japan, with one nine-month hiatus, for more than half a century since 1955.
Jesper Koll, president of Tantallon Research Japan, part of an Asian hedge fund, said he was baffled by the timing of Mr Abe's resignation. Referring to the samurai code of honour and bravery that Mr Abe has sometimes invoked during his premiership, he said: "This is not bushido. This is chicken."
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the socialist party, said: "The timing is really awful. This is really irresponsible." She said it was inconceivable that Mr Abe should have hung on after July's electoral thrashing, opened parliament and even given a big policy speech on Monday, before tamely quitting for no obvious reason.
Kaoru Yosano, chief cabinet secretary, said that although the prime minister had not mentioned it, Mr Abe's deteriorating health may have played a part in his decision. "We have been worried about his health, particularly during his [recent] trip to south-east Asia," he said. The prime minister has been looking visibly tired and deflated in recent days.