What does another Abe victory mean for Japan?

Impact on future policy

Andy Tidby, Japanese equities fund manager at Invesco Perpetual, gives his views on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's decision to call a snap election, its impact on the Japanese economy and what it might mean for future policy.

The decision by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to call an election in Japan for this weekend, more than a year ahead of the official deadline, was likely prompted by a number of factors. A recent recovery in his approval ratings, which, at least in part, can be attributed to Kim Jong Un, will have been an important factor. Abe, keen to revise Japan's pacifist constitution, is widely seen as a leader willing to stand up for Japan against the unpredictable North Korean regime and he likely assumed that the Japanese people would not want a new and inexperienced leader at such a volatile time....