Shinzo Abe & Abenomics

Shinzo Abe, who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2012 to 2020 holds an important place in Japanese politics. He strived to change perceptions of Japan, stating “If the Japanese need one thing now, that thing is confidence—the ability to turn our faces to the sun, like the sunflower does when it blooms at the height of summer”.

His first stint as Prime Minister was in 2006 which lasted a little over a year, ending due to ill health. During the next 5 years after he stepped down, Japan experienced 5 different Prime Ministers and saw the Liberal Democratic Party which has been dominant since its founding in 1955 fall out of power for only the second time in its history. Once returning as Prime Minister in 2012, Shinzo Abe put in place a group of economic policies commonly known as ‘Abenomics’. This included government spending and a growth strategy designed to get the economy out of the stagnation that had clasped the nation for decades. He focused on three areas of economic policies nicknamed the “three arrows”. The first being expansionary monetary policy, in an attempt to rid Japan of the deflation that had plagued the nation. The second arrow was putting in place flexible fiscal policy to restrain public debt without jeopardising the recovery of the nation’s economy. Finally, structural reform to assist the revival of productivity in the nation and to increase growth.

The first of the arrows, expansionary monetary policy, is a method of economic growth which consists of expanding the money supply quicker than usual. Japan printed between 60 and 70 trillion yen (approx. 500bn USD), to make Japanese exports more attractive to other nations and to help Japan reach its inflation target of 2%. In April 2013, the Bank of Japan promised to buy new assets including government bonds and equity, to raise inflation to 2% within about two years which is the target that was set out by the government. Later in 2016 the Bank of Japan introduced negative interest rates, a cap on ten-year bond yields and promised to let inflation surpass the target of 2%. This stopped persistent deflation which is a great achievement that is often overlooked.

The second arrow set out a new government spending programme to stimulate demand and consumption. This resulted in an increase in growth in the short run and helped Japan reach a budget surplus in the long run, which is where government expenditure is lower than government revenue. This helped Japan to repay some of their existing national debts which would have been created to fund the expansionary monetary policy in the first arrow. This second arrow was also largely seen as a success.

The third arrow was much more complex, aiming to reform various regulations to make Japanese industries more competitive internationally and to encourage investment into the nation from the private sector. It included reforms to corporate governance, easing restrictions on hiring foreign staff in special economic zones, helping the health sector and putting measures in place to help both Japanese and foreign entrepreneurs. It also aimed to modernise the agricultural sector and to restructure the utility and pharmaceutical industries.

Abenomics is seen to have worked well, with Japan getting closer to their inflation targets and the unemployment rate in Japan being lower than when Abe assumed power for the second time. Japan also saw an increase in gross domestic product, showing how Abe’s reforms were able to help get Japan out of a stagnant phase. Shinzo Abe has had an undeniable impact on Japanese politics, with aspects of Abenomics being visible today, helping Japan get out of the passivity that had plagued it for decades.

Mathilda O. Lower Sixth

Recently in American politics: the controversial Florida Parental Rights in Education Bill, commonly referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” has passed to law as of the 28th of February 2022 and has been in effect since the 1st of July 2022. The bill outlines the prohibition of sexual orientation and gender identity discussions from kindergarten to grade 3 (5-9 years old).

Furthermore, Governor of Florida, Ronald DeSantis provided misinformation that it would only affect these age groups. However, the bill states that if discussions aren’t age appropriate, they can’t be discussed, no matter the age of the children. The vagueness of this bill allows leeway for prosecution and stereotypes to be enforced. Yet, the bill cannot violate the Civil Rights Act since federal anti-discrimination laws take precedence over state laws. Meaning theoretically, protection would be provided; however, in the eyes of Floridian and National LGBTQ+ youth, activists and politicians this isn’t the case.

This bill would effectively silence the LGBTQ+ community within Florida and enforce a stigma of secrecy and taboo surrounding these topics. These themes are the reason that 22% of all hate crimes that occur in Florida are directed towards this community, a number that surpasses the number of religious hate crimes, according to The Department of Justice. This vicious cycle continues due to bills like this that allow for the normalisation of hate and alienation. In a study by the Trevor Project they found that 45% of LGBT youth seriously considered suicide and 1 in 5 transgender and non-binary people attempted suicide, however students that found schools and communities to be LGBT-affirming reported lower levels of attempts. The Don’t Say Gay Act could negatively affect these numbers and cause higher suicide rates among Floridian youth. Chasten Buttigieg, husband to the Secretary of Transportation and a retired teacher tweeted the bill “will kill kids”. This is not the only case where the law has lacked in terms of protecting the LGBTQ+ community; in Florida there is no state-wide law that bans discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, meaning they can be unlawfully evicted, refused (from service) and fired based on ‘protected characteristics’.

The repercussions of this peaceful and celebratory protest demonstrate and reveal the true motives of the education system surrounding LGBTQ+ rights. Disney workers also staged a walkout due to the act as the company itself gave $50,000 to aid Governor DeSantis’ re-election campaign. Some employees visited an Orlando LGBTQ+ centre to send letters with words of affirmation. Whilst this support was from a minority of their workers, the impact was recognised.

Before the bill was published an amendment was removed that stated: if an educator found out a child was a member of the LGBTQ+ community they could tell the parents within 6 weeks. Despite the amendment’s removal, Shevrin Jones, the first openly LGBTQ+ member of Florida’s Senate said the bill could forcibly ‘out’ students and youth, highlighting the concern of alternate political standpoints. The National Law Centre of Homelessness and Poverty states LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more at risk of homelessness than heterosexual and cisgendered youth, a direct impact of forced ‘outing’ and miseducation. Outing can cause problems in the home not just with disownment but with shunning and homophobia which can negatively affect mental health. The Trevor Project also found that 60% of children seeking mental health care were not able to receive it. A further problem is the matter of conversion therapy which despite multiple bills in Florida to abolish it, like for example the 11th of March 2016 ban for minors, have all failed to pass to into law. It was also found by UCLA: Williams Institute that 16,000 LGBT youth will receive conversion therapy in the 32 states that it isn’t banned. This emphasises the need to normalise and accept the members of these communities and ensure law protects rather than prosecutes them.

Residents of Florida, specifically high school students protested this act and staged walkouts to show their defiance. Organiser of the statewide protests, Jack Petocz was suspended indefinitely from his school after handing out 200 pride flags and saying that his school was trying to “[silence] a queer student” and that the Act was “an attempt to hurt queer people like me”.

Joe Biden, current US President called the act “hateful”, which is said by Governor DeSantis to allow parents to feel they are sending they’re children for “an education, not an indoctrination”. The stigma and belief is that discussing these issues and topics will influence children, but the real question is, will this influence be a negative one, as many in the State of Florida insinuate.