Politics under Shinzō Abe
Since the return of the LDP and Shinzō Abe to power in December 2012, some stability seems to be emerging. In July 2016, the parliamentary majority of Prime Minister Shinzō Abe's Liberal Democratic Party emerged strengthened by winning the senatorial elections by a wide margin. Regarding defense policy, since the 1960s, Article 9 of the constitution, which provides for Japan to renounce waging war and maintaining a war potential, has been regularly questioned without any real decision being made. Shinzō Abe is taking up the issue, proposing an amendment to Article 9 to increase the country's self-defense capabilities. On September 19, 2015, the Japanese Diet passed a series of laws that translated into legislation a revision of the constitution by 2020 going far beyond participation in collective security actions, including under a UN mandate. Nevertheless, many voices oppose this revision and the abdication of the emperor seems to strongly delay the project. On June 9, 2017, the Japanese Parliament passed a law authorizing Emperor Akihito to leave office and abdicate in favor of his eldest son, Naruhito. The latter acceded to the throne on May1, 2019, marking the beginning of the Reiwa era, or "ordered harmony." While Shinzō Abe obtained the record of longevity at the head of Japan, as Prime Minister, after seven years and eight months, he indicated, on August 28, 2020, his willingness to resign citing health concerns. He was then 65 years old. On September 16 of the same year, he left office, replaced by his former government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, after an emergency election. On October 4, 2021, a new Prime Minister, named Fumio Kishida, was elected. A year later, on July 8, Shinzō Abe was assassinated at an election rally in Nara.
Current policy
Since the assassination of Shinzō Abe, Japanese politics has undergone a major upheaval. Under the leadership of Fumio Kishida, the government has sought to maintain stability while responding to growing challenges, such as an aging population, economic security and rising geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. Abe's legacy, marked by his ambitious economic program dubbed " Abenomics " (a contraction of Abe and economics) and his vision of a more assertive Japan on the international stage, continues to influence political debate. However, corruption scandals (including a recent LDP political funding scandal) and criticism of the management of certain social policies have weakened public support for the Liberal Democratic Party, making the country's political future uncertain. In 2024, Shigeru Ishiba replaces Fumio Kishida.
Economy
After experiencing a recession from 2008 to 2012, its worst crisis since the Second World War, Japan has followed up with several favorable years, and even a surplus in 2015 and 2016. This growth is taking place against a backdrop of stimulus measures known as " Abenomics ". The world's third-largest economy is enjoying its longest period of growth in thirty years. VAT, which rose from 5% to 8% in 2014, and the exorbitant costs of the Fukushima disaster, weighed heavily on recovery forecasts. This is now a thing of the past, with exports up 11.8% in 2017, buoyed by miscellaneous machinery, semiconductors, automobiles and the fall in oil and the yen. In the same year, the Japanese economy grew by 1.6% (instead of 0.9% in 2016). In July 2017, Japan signed an ambitious free-trade agreement with the EU. Nevertheless, this momentum is slowing, as expected growth falls back to 0.9% in 2018 and 2019 (rather than 1.5% as previously forecast). As for the unemployment rate, it remains low, at a time when the country is facing labor shortages in many sectors. On October1, 2019, Japan's consumption tax will now rise from 8% to 10%. The year 2020 sees an unprecedented rebound with the coronavirus pandemic. A colossal aid plan for businesses and individuals is put in place. Covid-19 leads to a collapse in the country's GDP in the second quarter of 2020 (7.8% on the previous quarter). This was the biggest fall on record since similar data went live in 1980. GDP rebounds at the end of the year with a stronger-than-expected recovery. As in many other countries around the world, the "aftermath" of the coronavirus will be crucial to Japan's economic recovery. And the country is also facing a labor shortage. According to a survey conducted in 2019 by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Foreign Trade and Industry, 61% of konbini said they were suffering from labor shortages, compared with 22% in 2014. These convenience stores are a good barometer for judging the trend. For example, stores and franchises are currently having difficulty recruiting new employees willing to work nights for just over 8 euros an hour. This labor shortage is a major societal problem. As a result, it's not uncommon these days, especially in the big cities, to find employees of foreign origin, often from South-East Asia, at the checkouts. Since 2020, the Japanese economy has been marked by structural and cyclical challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic triggered a recession, with disruptions to trade, tourism and domestic consumption. Stimulus measures, combining public spending and accommodating monetary policies, have supported the recovery, although it remains fragile. Aging demographics continue to weigh on the workforce and domestic demand, while Japan strives to diversify its supply chains in the face of global trade tensions. At the same time, initiatives linked to the energy transition and technological innovation are aimed at revitalizing the economy for the long term.
Tourism
After a few positive years, the tourism industry suffered a terrible setback following the disaster of March 11, 2011. Even more than the tsunami, the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant had a devastating impact on tourism. Tourists deserted Japan for a few years, only to return in droves in 2013. The many regions that were not hit by the disaster are seeking to showcase their treasures by participating in numerous international trade fairs and communicating more aggressively. Northern Honshu is, unfortunately, going through a long and difficult phase in terms of tourism activity. Japan, which was aiming to reach the symbolic milestone of 20 million tourists before the 2020 Olympics, achieved it in 2016. The 30 million mark was even surpassed in 2018, and again in 2019. It was only natural that the government set itself the target of 40 million foreign visitors by 2020, with the Olympic Games in its sights. Unfortunately, the pandemic, the postponement of the Games to 2021 and the closure of Japanese borders to contain the spread of the virus dashed any hopes of an all-time record. By the end of 2021, Japanese daily life had returned to a semblance of normality. But the variants were still weighing on the reopening of borders, which once again remained hermetically sealed. 2022 finally saw the reopening of tourism in the Archipelago... a sector that has been doing wonderfully well ever since. By way of example, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), the estimated number of international travelers in September 2024 was 2,872,200 (+26.4% on 2019).
Environment
Japanese culture pays great attention to the fight against waste and to living simply, without superfluous items, which facilitates the deployment of the "zero waste" approach promoted in the country. However, the consumption of plastic, particularly for packaging, remains very high. Konbini are overflowing with plastic, with plastic-hungry take-away food products swarming the shelves. A number of stores have therefore begun to use paper packaging for certain rice dishes. Only the lid is made of plastic, reducing the use of this material by around 40%. The coronavirus pandemic has boosted takeaway sales, and hence plastic consumption. On October 26, 2020, Suga Yoshihide confirms Japan's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
On August 24, 2023, Japan begins discharging treated water from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, despite strong opposition from China and concerns expressed by Japanese fishermen.
