Economic growth key to Abe's proposed constitutional changes
經濟增長成安倍憲法改革提案關鍵

Japan's economy has failed to grow as much as expected in the second quarter. This is fuelling speculation that the government may have to delay new consumption tax hikes. But overall, the government of Shinzo Abe has performed well since taking power.

The policy of "Abenomics" has promoted growth in the past 3 quarters. And sustaining that economic growth is the key to unlocking Abe’s proposed constitutional changes, as CCTV correspondent Tony Cheng reports in the last of in his series on Japan’s move to the Right.

It was a stunning turnaround at the polls. Having been unceremoniously kicked out by voters 4 years ago, the LDP and its leader Shinzo Abe took the upper and lower houses of the Japanese Diet.

The LDP had campaigned hard on a platform of constitutional change. They promised to restore National Pride and Japan's military.

And since taking power, they have refused to back down against China and Korea in territorial disputes. But is that what the voters actually wanted? Some analysts feel the constitutional reforms are an afterthought that most people voted for strong economic leadership.

Yoshiki Mine, Research Director, Canon Institute for Global Studies, said, "In the last election the LDP won victory not because of their political stands but because of the economic policy”

Thus far, it has worked. Mr. Abe took has reformed the bank of Japan, bought down the value of the Yen, and pushed the economy back into growth for the first time in a decade. And the Policy of Abenomics, as it has become known, is tacking on Japan’s famous bureaucracy.

Even Mr. Abe’s political opponents are on board. The Restoration Party, also in agreement on the constitutional reform, is keen to introduce changes.

Takashi Tanuma, Restoration Party, said, “We have to trust more in the power of the private sector, so that they can operate more freely, and we strongly believe we have to remove the bureaucratic regulations.”

But while the domestic economy is doing well, trade with neighbors is not. The recent territorial disputes are estimated to have cost Japan billions of dollars in lost trade

But Mr. Abe is unlikely to be swayed…his legacy will be constitutional change, and economic success is the way to sell it to voters.

And Abenomics can only do so much, so far it has provided stimulus but questions remain over its ability to sustain growth.

Shinzo Abe faces big challenges in the next few years with a new consumption tax and massive cuts needed to public spending.

But in order to maintain public support for his constitutional changes, he will have to ensure his economic performance stays on track.