Japan PM-to-be Abe, faces challenges

TOKYO, Sep 21: Japan's prime minister-to-be, Shinzo Abe, turned his attention today to the line-up for his cabinet amid concerns about how the hawkish, youthful leader will cope with diplomatic and economic challenges ahead.

Mr Abe, who at 52 will be Japan's first prime minister born after World War Two, was elected ruling Liberal Democratic Party president with two-thirds of the party vote yesterday.

Parliament will convene on September 26 to confirm Abe as prime minister and he plans to form his cabinet the same day.

An outspoken advocate of a more muscular Japanese foreign policy and even closer ties with security ally Washington, Abe faces the challenges of repairing frayed ties with China and South Korea and keeping economic reforms on track.

Mr Abe is popular with the public for his tough stance towards North Korea in a feud over Japanese citizens kidnapped decades ago, but he had never held a cabinet post until last October.

''He has never directly managed the nation's economic policies, and we are deeply concerned about this,'' said an editorial in the conservative Yomiuri newspaper, which urged Abe to appoint a top-notch team of economic ministers and advisers.

Campaigning under the slogan ''Beautiful Country, Japan'', Abe wants to rewrite the pacifist constitution, return patriotism and discipline to the schools and fix the nation's fragile finances while ensuring growth.

But with his victory seemingly assured months ago, Abe steered clear of fleshing out many policy details.

''It was his public popularity rather than his vision and policies that was behind the strong support for Abe,'' said an editorial in the conservative Yomiuri newspaper.

''The flip side to this is that if his administration runs into trouble and his public support declines, his ability to lead the government and the LDP would be weakened, destabilising his administration,'' the paper added.

ECONOMIC CLUES, HISTORY LESSONS

Financial markets are looking to Abe's cabinet appointments for clues to how he plans to balance his commitments to growth and to reining in the nation's huge public debt.

''A sense of balance is necessary, not to put too much weight on growth but also be mindful of the urgency of fiscal reform,'' said Koji Ochiai, a senior market analyst at Mizuho Securities.

Foreign Minister Taro Aso, 66, who echoed Abe's views during his failed campaign for LDP president, is widely tipped either to keep his job or to get another important party or cabinet post.

Hidenao Nakagawa, 62, now LDP policy chief and a close Abe ally who puts priority on economic growth, is also expected to keep playing an important role in the party leadership.

Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki, who clashed with Abe on fiscal and foreign policy in his unsuccessful campaign for party leader, has said he would not take a post in the new cabinet.

Mr Abe says he wants to improve ties with China and South Korea, both of which have refused to hold summit meetings with outgoing Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi because of his pilgrimages to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, seen by the two countries as a symbol of Japan's past militarism.

Mr Abe has paid his respects there himself in the past, but has refused to say if he will follow suit as prime minister.

He has also given only lukewarm endorsement to Tokyo's historic 1995 apology for suffering caused in Asia by the war.

''He should first sort out his views of history that frankly reflect on colonial rule before the war and aggression. Based on that, he should open up Asia diplomacy into an new era,'' said an editorial in the centrist Mainichi newspaper.

Reuters