Japan shifts right as Abe set to win

Japan's new leader is likely to make efforts to heal the frosty relationship with China considering its sluggish economic situation, while China should continue to keep a firm stance in response to potential frictions, analysts said Sunday as the country held a general election.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) looks set to win an overall majority in the election, returning to power after three years in opposition on stronger defense and conservative nuclear energy policies.

According to the latest exit polls, hawkish LDP president Shinzo Abe appeared set for a return to office after he pledged to boost Japan's economy by setting a 3 percent inflation target to combat the country's continuous deflation and exert more pressure on the Bank of Japan to adopt currency easing policies.

Abe said after Sunday's general election that the LDP's victory would be due to the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)'s failure over the past three years.

"With stronger monetary policies, fiscal policies and growth policies, we will end deflation, correct a high yen and grow the economy," Abe said Saturday, whose party ruled Japan almost continuously for more than five decades until it was ousted by the current Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's DPJ in 2009.

"The DPJ has failed to fulfill about 70 percent of the promises made in its election manifesto," Lü Yaodong, director of the Institute of Japanese Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. But the DPJ has broken the monopoly of the LDP and realized the bipartisan system in Japan, achieving its objective in this regard, he added.

Amid rising tensions over the Diaoyu Islands dispute between Tokyo and Beijing, Abe also promised to revise the country's pacifist constitution so as to upgrade the Self-Defense Forces into a national army and allow the country to use collective self-defense rights.

"As the economic situation in Japan is sluggish, a right-wing tendency is gaining more and more popularity, not only escalating territorial disputes with China, but also helping Abe and the LDP achieve victory in the election," Lü said, adding that the LDP will try to fulfill its election manifesto once it becomes the ruling party, bringing further tension in the Asia-pacific region.

Zhou Yongsheng, a professor of international relations at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times Sunday that the LDP's possible military enhancement is not necessarily directed at China.

"Abe's regaining of power is expected to help heal the chilly bilateral relationship as he is a pragmatic politician who will not let the tension further damage Japan's interests," said Zhou, noting that Abe paid an official visit to China in less than two weeks after he was elected Prime Minister in September 2006 and vowed to strengthen the partnership between the two Asian powers.

On Sunday, Abe revealed that he would pay a visit to the US as his first destination if elected, as the country would not gain strong diplomatic power without strengthening its alliance with the country, reported Japanese media.

A commentary by the Xinhua News Agency Sunday urged Japan to seek a post-election foreign policy that adopts a long-term and pragmatic view in order to improve relations with its neighbors, days after Beijing submitted to the UN information on the outer limits of its continental shelf in order to consolidate its claim over the disputed islands.

"The Diaoyu Islands issue will not be solved in a short time, but the tension can be eased through active dialogues if Abe would like to show sincerity," said Zhou.

Abe claimed earlier that he would deploy public servants to reside on the Diaoyu Islands.

Zhou said that in response to the new government's possible tough measures, China should remain firm in its stance.

Abe said at a press conference that his party would improve Japan's relations with China.

The election result is expected early Monday.

A total of 1,504 candidates had run for the 480 seats in the lower house, which was dissolved by Noda on November 16.

The DPJ registered 267 candidates while the main opposition party, the LDP, registered 338. The Japan Restoration Party and the Tomorrow Party of Japan, known as the third forces, registered 172 and 121 respectively.

According to polls, the LDP and its ally, the New Komeito Party, will together secure more than 300 seats in the election. However, the ruling party, headed by Noda, is likely to get around 60 seats compared with its current 230 seats.

Voter turnout was 27.4 percent as of 2 pm, down by 7.79 points from the previous 2009 poll, the government said.