Presentation :

The second administration of Abe Shinzo (2012- ) has roused significant media controversy and scholarly criticism due to the perception that political dissent in Japan is being marginalized due to an authoritarian impulse associated with Abe Shinzo's personality. This paper evaluates this argument. The first section reflects upon Abe's political biography in terms of the familial and historical connections to a traditional neo-Confucian Japanese elite view of the world that underpins his ideological convictions, and how these convictions run counter to post-war and newly evolving political norms in Japan. The second section reflects upon the marginalization of dissent in the second Abe administration, especially in comparison with the first Abe administration (2006-2007). It focuses on Abe's relationship with the media, and policy and legislative processes. Section three reflects upon whether Abe's endurance in office heralds a new ‘authoritarian' development in Japanese politics that is likely to endure beyond Abe's time in power. While Abe has taken advantage of a strong public desire for political stability due to rapid changes in the domestic and international environments, this paper argues that the marginalization of dissent is contingent upon Abe's political personality acting in intimate combination with contemporary political dynamics in Japan.