Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe atttends a parliament session at the Upper House in Tokyo, Japan March 19, 2018. Picture taken March 19, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua] Japanese PM admits recent plunge in support is of serious concern TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is facing his biggest political crisis since taking office more than five years ago, as suspicions swirl about a land sale to a school operator with ties to his wife. Abe has denied that he or his wife, Akie, intervened in the heavily discounted sale of state-owned land to the school operator, Moritomo Gakuen, or that he sought to alter documents related to the deal. While vowing to thoroughly investigate the scandal, Abe admitted that a recent plunge in support was of serious concern. Finance Minister Taro Aso, a close Abe ally, has also denied involvement in alterations officials in his ministry made to the documents. But a spate of weekend opinion polls showed support for Abe's cabinet sinking as low as 31 percent, with majorities saying he bears some responsibility. The sagging support could dash his hopes of winning a third three-year term as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a September party election. A victory would put him on track to become Japan's longest-serving premier. Below are possible scenarios for Abe's political future. Ratings recover, Abe wins third term Last year, Abe, 63, also saw his ratings plummet over the Moritomo land deal and other matters. The LDP suffered a historic trouncing in a Tokyo assembly election. But he recovered in the polls, and his LDP-led coalition won a two-thirds super majority in a snap lower house election in October, helped by fragmentation of the opposition parties, low turnout and his stern stance toward Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats. That could happen again, especially if there are no further big revelations in the Moritomo affair, no fresh scandals appear and Abe demonstrates skill on the diplomatic front. Abe could decide to sacrifice Aso - who has said he has no intention of resigning - but that could backfire by focusing criticism even more firmly on the prime minister and depriving him of a breakwater against public ire. If his ratings recover and his backers in the LDP hold firm, Abe could win a third term as party leader and stay in office into 2021. Abe resigns before September If Abe's ratings fall further and stay low, he may decide to step down before the September vote, although having quit once, he is probably reluctant to do so again. Abe abruptly resigned in 2007 after a year in office plagued by scandals in his cabinet, a deadlocked parliament and poor health. If he steps down, Abe may try to throw his support behind former foreign minister Fumio Kishida, 60, to succeed him with backing from other party heavyweights. Kishida now serves as LDP policy chief. The LDP would have to hold a special leadership vote, but could just poll members of parliament rather than including rank-and-file members. That would give Kishida, a low-key lawmaker seen as less hawkish than Abe, an edge over former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is popular with the party as a whole but less so among lawmakers. Both Kishida and Ishiba have expressed concerns about Japan's bulging public debt. Abe limps to September A weakened Abe could last until September, when he could step aside or run again and face a potentially fierce faceoff with Ishiba. If other rivals also throw their hats in the ring, the anti-Abe vote could be divided enough for him to eke out a victory. But if that happened, he could have trouble pushing his controversial agenda of revising the pacifist, postwar Constitution and deregulating the labor market. The election would include votes by both members of parliament and the rank-and-file, which could give Ishiba, 61, an advantage. Internal Affairs Minister Seiko Noda, 57, has also expressed a desire to run, but is thought to have little chance of winning. Reuters - Xinhua cheap personalized silicone wristbands no minimumcamo silicone wristbandsorder silicone wristbands online cheapprinted wristbandfournisseur bracelet silicone
[Photo/VCG] Mainland courts are pledging to improve cross-Straits judicial exchanges, ensure equal protection for Taiwan litigants and offer them better legal services in hearings of Taiwan-related cases. The Supreme People's Court issued a 36-point guideline on Tuesday in which it highlighted the significance of guaranteeing Taiwan litigants' rights, and ordered all mainland courts to help solve their legal difficulties across the board, from case filing to hearing and final verdict delivery. It was the first time for the top court to issue such a comprehensive guideline to safeguard rights of Taiwan residents and its first rule for deepening cross-Straits development by regulating legal services. We hope the document will not only help courts on the mainland effectively process the increasing number of cases involving Taiwan individuals or enterprises but also prompt economic and cultural exchanges, said Jiang Qibo, director of the top court's research office. The guideline was created following a keynote speech by President Xi Jinping at a gathering in January to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, he said. In the guideline, mainland courts were told to strengthen property protections of Taiwan people and enterprises to ensure a favorable environment when they create a startup or make an investment in the mainland. Zhou Jiahai, deputy director of the research office, said that when a litigant from Taiwan is found to be at fault, We should be prudent and minimize the negative effects on their businesses when considering sealing up or freezing their property or barring them from leaving the mainland. When a Taiwan litigant is detained or monitored on the mainland, courts are required to inform family members within 24 hours, the guideline said. Jiang, the director, said, Specifying legal measures to regulate the handling of Taiwan-related cases is necessary because such disputes have been rising in mainland courts in the past decade. Figures released by the top court on Tuesday showed that more than 5,000 cases were filed annually on average in mainland courts involving litigants from Taiwan from 2008 to 2018, with the peak reaching 7,000 in 2012. To more efficiently resolve the disputes, the guideline ordered mainland courts, especially those handling a large number of such cases in Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, to set up a special website, hotline or social media account and establish a judge liaison office to provide high-quality legal services to Taiwan litigants. We welcome Taiwan residents from all walks of life, including legal professionals, to visit mainland courts and exchange judicial opinions, Zhou said. Also, a communication platform or internship opportunities will be offered to Taiwan youth who study on the mainland. The top court added it would go to grassroots courts on the mainland to check on enforcement of the guideline and ensure Taiwan litigants know about it.
