Checking the Brookings Institution’s site on other business, I came across info for this event happening on Friday in downtown DC:
AN ADDRESS BY THE HON. SHINZO ABE, FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN
A New Era Requires New Political Will
Event SummaryOn April 17, the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at Brookings will host former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan for an address on key issues facing Japan, the United States and the world. Prime Minister Abe will discuss Japan’s role in addressing regional and global security concerns as well as the global economic crisis and climate change. He will also explore possible policy approaches to these and other issues for the Japanese and U.S. governments, as both countries and the international community face an era defined by urgent challenges and new leadership.
I’m sure that it does take “political will” to tackle difficult issues, just not Abe’s uniquely ham-fisted brand of it.
If this is indeed the start of some kind of political comeback, one can only hope that if the LDP stays in power after the next election, Aso will appoint Abe to multiple cabinet portfolios (I envision a right-wing hawk trifecta: foreign minister/NK abductee policy minister/Northern Territories minister).
Since I love to criticize without having any actual responsibility to run things, I will be sure to catch the audio of this when it comes out.
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