Japan polls: PM Abe headed for easy win
TOKYO: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday vowed to protect the Japanese people as he wrapped up an election campaign dominated by threats from North Korea.
Polls show Abe and his conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are clear favourites to win Sunday’ selection, han ding him afresh mandate for his hardline stance on North Korea and “Abenomics” growth strategy.
Abe’s coalition is on track to win around 300 seats in the 465seat lower house of parliament, according to a projection published by the Nikkei daily.
If the polls are correct ,63- yearold Abe is on course to be the longest-serving premier in post-war Japan.
“It has been a very tough election,” Abe told crowds that braved the rain in central Japan, as a typhoon barrelled towards the country.
“The ruling bloc... is the one that can protect people’ s lives and defend our happy way of life,” he said, in reference to North Korea, which has threatened to “sink” Japan into the sea and fired two missiles over the country.
Abe has stuck to a hawkish stance on North Korea, stressing that maximum pressure should be exerted on the regime.
Abe enjoys only lukewarm public support but the weak and fragmented opposition has been unable to make inroads into his poll lead during the short 12-day campaign.