Japan’s Abe seeks to burnish legacy ahead of election

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin was needed to resolve the territorial issues over islands north of Hokkaido, which Japan calls its “Northern Territories”, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Speaking at a press conference as the Diet kicks off an ordinary session Monday, earlier in the year than usual, the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP), while stating that he “is not considering at all” dissolving the lower house to call a snap election, said that maintaining his ruling bloc’s majority in the upcoming upper house elections would be a priority.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is shifting his focus to a sputtering economy as he seeks to burnish his legacy and shore up support ahead of an election in the summer.

“I will do the utmost to win that victory”, Abe added.

“As the host of G7, which champions universal values, I hope to lead the world by indicating a proper path towards regional and global peace and prosperity, while keeping the world in mind with a global perspective”.

“Challenges, challenges and still more challenges”, Abe said in summing up the coming year in a nationally televised news conference Monday.

He also said it was crucial that Russian Federation played a constructive role in fighting terrorism and in the crises in Iran and Syria.

The dispute has prevented the two countries to sign a permanent peace treaty after the end of World War II.

“As for the timing, first we will need a Japan, China and South Korea foreign ministers meeting and then work out details of a summit with China and South Korea”.

When later asked whether such statement may be taken as hasty judgment on deflation, Mr Abe said Japan has still not completely conquered deflation. “We are still half way but we have created a situation that is no longer seen as deflation”, Mr Abe told a news conference.