国际英语资讯:News Analysis: Bumpy road ahead for Japans Abe following rank-and-file backlash in LDP lea_时事

国际英语资讯:News Analysis: Bumpy road ahead for Japans Abe following rank-and-file backlash in LDP lea

TOKYO, Sept. 20 -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, winning the ruling party's leadership election Thursday, will likely to become Japan's longest-serving leader, but underwhelming support shown by rank-and-file party members may spell difficulties ahead for both party and president, political analysts said.

In the leadership race, Abe's only opponent was former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba who in the run-up to the election voiced different views to Abe on constitutional reform and economic policies and ended up mounting a far-bigger challenge to the incumbent than expected.

Local political observers pointed out that while Abe has secured the top party post for a third-consecutive term, effectively ensuring his position as the nation's next prime minister owing to the ruling coalition's majorities in both chambers of parliament, Ishiba garnering far more support than expected from rank-and-file members has certainly raised some red flags looking ahead.

While Abe won 329 out of ballots cast by Diet members, and 224 by rank-and-file members, Ishiba secured 73 votes from legislators but an unexpected 181 votes from ordinary members, who closely reflect public opinion.

This, political analysts said, was to a certain extent down to increasing opposition to the prime minister's long reign amid ongoing cronyism allegations, ineffectual economic policies and the railroading through parliament of contentious legislation, including those related to security, to push forward his constitutional reform agenda.