Report Cover
Headline
The most contentious issue—among voters, LDPers, and even hisown advisers—is whether or not go ahead with the second hike in the consumption tax. We suspect he will go ahead but couple it with another big supplementary budget.
Abstract
As we detailed in yesterday’s Alert, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s approval ratings have resume the steady slide that was temporarily interrupted by the Cabinet reshuffle in September. We suspect that his support remains “a mile wide and an inch deep.” If there were a solid alternative, either inside the LDP or from the opposition parties, we suspect his approval ratings would be even lower.