The Abe Cabinet's approval rating plunged to 39%, matching a record low, as more than half of voters oppose the new US-sanctioned military/security legislation being debated in the Diet. The last time Shinzo Abe's approval ratings were this low, he called for a snap election and told Kuroda to unleash QQE2.0 which has only squeezed real wages to even record-er lows (24th month in a row of declines) [5], destroyed-er elderly Japanese savings, and crushed-er the middle-class [5]. As his popularity has waned, Abe has become more and more desperate to keep support and has, for the first time in 70- years, lower the minimum voting age from 21 to 18 (adding 2.4 million new voters who have not been demoralized yet by declining pension benefits and quality of life).
And he is losing the support of the voters...
[6]
The sharp decline in support was conspicuous among women, with the rate falling to 34 percent from 42 percent in the previous survey and the nonsupport rate rising to 37 percent from 31 percent.
It was the first time since the Nov. 29-30 survey for the nonsupport rate to exceed the support rate among women.
This should come as a no surprise since the quality of life is collapsing...
[8]
But this was not just about quality of life, the growing disillusionment with Abe and his policies is also focused on his newly US-enthused military actions...
The overall decline in support was apparently attributable to the fact that 53 percent of the respondents oppose the security bills being deliberated in the Lower House. Only 29 percent support the legislation, the survey showed.
Three constitutional law scholars said in the Lower House Commission on the Constitution on June 4 that the security legislation is unconstitutional. The Abe Cabinet countered their stance by releasing an opinion paper that said the bills do not violate the Constitution.
Fifty percent of the respondents agree with the three scholars while only 17 percent support the view of the Cabinet.
The security legislation would expand the overseas role of the Self-Defense Forces and could include the exercise of the right to collective self-defense, which Japan had banned before the Abe Cabinet changed the government interpretation of the pacifist Constitution.
Abe has said that he will explain the legislation and the need for the shift in security policy in a comprehensive manner.
However, 69 percent of the respondents said the prime minister’s explanations to the public have not been comprehensive, compared with 12 percent who answered that they are.
Sixty-five percent of the respondents said it is not necessary to pass the security legislation during the current Diet session, up 5 percentage points from the previous survey. Only 17 percent replied that passage of the bills is needed in the current session, down from 23 percent.
So what does he do... lower the minimum voting age from 21 to 18...
- *JAPAN LOWERS VOTING AGE TO 18 IN FIRST CHANGE FOR 70 YEARS
Politicians have long courted older voters with generous pension benefits, ballooning the national debt as Japan rapidly ages. [9]Younger voters have stayed away from the polls in recent years. Less than 33% of those in their 20s exercised their right to vote in last year’s general election in December. In contrast, voter turnout for those in their 60s and over 70 were 68% and 60%, respectively.
In a populist act hoping to encourage younger more activist voters (who started with no wealth and are more pro-military aggression) to save him from another bout of explosive crippling diarrhea. [10]
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Just how much more can the aging Japanese population take? Or was war the ultimate Keynesian endgame all along - physical war that is... not the currency war that is crushing them currently.
