Japan's ruling coalition secures sweeping victory in Sunday's somber upper house election

Описание: 자민당, 참의원 선거 압승...한일대화 본격화하나

We begin with the latest on Japan's upper house election that took place Sunday,... just two days after the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
In a state of shock and grief,... Japanese voters went to the ballot,.. handing a stronger majority for Abe's former conservative party and its coalition partner.
This strengthens control over government affairs for the incumbent PM, Fumio Kishida.
Here in Seoul,... observers wonder what the future of Japanese politics means for bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries.
Our Kim Dami has our top story.
Japan's ruling coalition secured a sweeping victory in Sunday's somber upper house election held in the shadow of the assassination of former conservative PM Shinzo Abe.
The former leader's Liberal Democratic Party took at least 76 out of 125 seats contested, securing its majority with its junior partner Komeito in the 248-member chamber.
While the upper house election does not signify a change of government, it does effectively show public sentiment on the sitting government.
Such a strong showing helps Prime Minister Fumio Kishida consolidate his rule, and drive his party's key policies forward,... including the push to revise Japan's constitution.
In terms of foreign affairs, hopes are high that frosty South Korea-Japan relations, held back by historical disputes, may get back on track.
But some experts are not too hopeful that Kishida's firmer control of the government will be a game changer for the bilateral ties.

"He already won a lower house election last October. So if he if so, if you really wanted to push ahead, taking concrete measures to improve ties. He could have done that already."

But with the launch of the new Yoon Suk-yeol administration, South Korea has taken one step closer to Tokyo by rolling out a new joint consultative body over compensation for forced wartime labor.
Now could be an appropriate time for the Kishida government to respond to Seoul's efforts, some experts say.

"In order for the Yoon administration to smoothly persuade victims or seek their understanding, I think Prime Minister Kishida also needs his own cooperative attitude or guidance."

Hurdles do lie ahead for Kishida who may be walking on eggshells around his conservative Liberal Democratic Party when it comes to historical conflicts between South Korea and Japan.
However, in the aftermath of Abe's assassination, Kishida may now look to put his more conciliatory and mediating hue to the fore.
And that might mean there could be room for high-level talks on the sidelines of a visit by a South Korean delegation to a memorial service for Abe this week.
South Korea and Japan are reportedly on the final stages of arranging a visit to Tokyo by Seoul's top diplomat Park Jin too, with South Korea's foreign ministry hopeful that the meeting can take place.
Kim Dami, Arirang News.


#Japan #upper_house_election #Fumio_Kishida

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2022-07-11, 10:00 (KST)