Abe
TOE Alert: Abe Almost Certain to Call Snap Election, Delay Second Tax Hike
written by Richard Katz on November 11, 2014
Abe almost certain to call snap election for Lower House and delay hike in the consumption tax.
TOE Alert: Abe approval down again, so are real wages, TPP delayed, BOJ infighting, etc.
written by Richard Katz on November 10, 2014
Abe’s approval ratings fell again; in the NHK poll, approval was down to 44% while disapproval was up to 38%.
BOJ Doubles down to Save Credibility, Part 1
written by Richard Katz on November 04, 2014
In the face of growing loss of faith in the Bank of Japan’s ability to either achieve its 2% inflation target in the foreseeable future or to help boost real growth, Kuroda doubled down his strategy of lots of confident talk and even more money-creation.
Abe Poll Ratings Resume Plunge, Part 4
written by Richard Katz on October 30, 2014
Abe's falling approval ratings and the TPP stalemate.
Abe Poll Ratings Resume Plunge, Part 3
written by Richard Katz on October 29, 2014
Abe’s falling approval ratings make him even more cautious on restarting the nuclear power plants in the face of the two-thirds of the public that opposes restarts,
Abe Poll Ratings Resume Plunge, Part 2
written by Richard Katz on October 28, 2014
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.
Abe Poll Ratings Resume Plunge, Part 1
written by Richard Katz on October 28, 2014
After a very short-lived bounce in his approval ratings from the Cabinet reshuffle in September, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has suffered an equally quick tumble back to the pre-shuffle lows.
Possible Abe-Xi Meeting at Beijing APEC Summit
written by Richard Katz on October 17, 2014
The New York Times reported today that, according to Japanese officials, the two countries are working on an agreement for at least a photo op, and perhaps a 15-minute non-substantive meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping during APEC.
Japan Financial Markets Moved by U.S. Events
written by Richard Katz on October 16, 2014
The ups and downs of Japanese stocks have closely mirrored those in the US since August.
Incipient LDP/SME Revolt Against First Arrow
written by Richard Katz on October 08, 2014
When some powerful leaders of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) complain that the “First Arrow” of Abenomics (monetary ease and yen deprecation) is causing more harm than good, you know that the credibility of Abenomics has reached a turning point. And when this coincides with an indicator from the Cabinet Office that suggests the risk of an out-and-out recession following the April hike in the consumption tax, then you know that the bloom is really off the rose.
