Re-elected Abe needs serious reflection on rightist agenda

The Japanese parliament on Wednesday re-appointed Shinzo Abe as prime minister, sparing the island nation another round of revolving-door leaderships.

Yet while savoring the moment of triumph, Abe needs to remember that his victory stems less from public support for his policies than from the frustration of a weary electorate with no better alternatives.

During his rule in the past two years, Japan's political system has been increasingly infested with radical rightist elements, and he has failed -- or never sincerely tried -- to heal his country's traumatized relations with China and South Korea.

On the economic front, his highly anticipated package of economic reforms has turned out to be much of a disappointment. The world's third largest economy is now technically in recession, and Japan's foreign trade has been kept from reaching its full potential due to sour foreign ties.

Thus Abe's re-election should be no less a moment of reflection. Given the hapless reality, it is advisable and imperative that he use his renewed mandate wisely.

A top priority is for him to put Japan's rightward slide into perspective, revisit his nationalist agenda, and keep the rightist tendency at bay.

The alarming shift, epitomized by Tokyo's repeated attempts to deny and whitewash militarist Japan's WWII atrocities, has set the region's nerves on edge and poisoned the international environment Japan needs for a speedy economic recovery.

And it is common sense that without building trust and improving relations with Japan's neighbors first, a headstrong pursuit of a more active defense posture with stronger pre-emptive strike capability is both irresponsible and dangerous.

Also, the Japanese people has spoken up. The domestic public opposition to his maneuvers to gut Japan's pacifist constitution and allow its troops to fight abroad should have been vehement enough to send him an unmistakable message.

Given that, Abe and his new defense minister, widely expected to be Gen Nakatani, need to tread carefully. The two both advocate a stronger role for Japan's Self-Defense Forces, and the international community should keep a wary eye on them and constantly remind them not to go too far.

One area where Abe should be bold is the foreign relations front. He needs to summon up more political courage to strive for a pattern of neighborhood interaction that accords with the long-term interest of his country.

Hearteningly, the icy relations between China and Japan have exhibited signs of thawing, with the two sides holding a summit last month after having reached a four-point consensus. Abe should seize the momentum, honor the hard-won agreement, and work with China for an early recovery of bilateral ties.

With the re-election, Abe has set himself apart in an era of political turmoil in his country. But only with more political wisdom and grit can he carve a truly worthy legacy for his country.