Abe Reelected LDP Leader to Stay in Power

September 20, 2018

Tokyo- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was reelected president of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday, securing the continuation of his government for the next three years.

Taking the reelection as credit for his handling of the government since he returned as prime minister in December 2012, Abe is poised to redouble his efforts to reform the Japanese constitution, his long-cherished political aim, as well as to make sure that the country is no longer in deflation.

Earlier this year, public support for Abe's cabinet plunged due to a spate of scandals engulfing the administration, including cronyism allegations against him.

But in the party leadership poll on Thursday, Abe, 63, won a third consecutive three-year term by beating his sole contender, Shigeru Ishiba, 61, who has served as defense minister and in other ministerial posts, as well as LDP secretary-general, by a vote of 553 to 254.

After Abe won the previous LDP leadership election by default three years ago, the party revised its internal rules last year to allow its president to serve up to three terms in a row for a total of nine years, against the previous limit of two consecutive terms for six years.

During his final term through September 2021, Abe will spearhead the party's campaign in a series of local elections in 2019 and a triennial election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, in the same year, and work to lead the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics to success.

Abe is now expected to conduct a reshuffle of his cabinet and renew the party's executive team as early as Oct. 1. He plans to retain Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai, informed sources said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso is also likely to stay on, the sources said.

In November 2019, Abe will become the longest-serving prime minister ever in Japan, including the period from September 2006 to September 2007 when he was previously in the top government post. Abe is now ranked fifth.

The current record holder is Taro Katsura, who was in office for a total of 2,886 days between 1901 and 1913. Jiji Press