Japanese PM Shinzo Abe re-elected as head of Liberal Democratic Party

Shinzo Abe

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was re-elected as head of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party in a landslide Thursday, paving the way for up to three more years as the nation's leader.

The decisive victory may embolden Abe to pursue his long-sought revision to Japan's US-drafted pacifist constitution, although the hurdles remain high and doing so would carry political risks.

"It's time to tackle a constitutional revision," Abe said in a victory speech, adding, "Now the fight is over." Abe said he's determined to use his last term to pursue his policy goals to "sum up" Japan's post-war diplomacy to ensure peace in the country. "Let's work together to make a new Japan," he said. Abe, who has been prime minister since December 2012, has cemented control of his party and received support from conservatives for bringing stability and continuity. With a third term as party leader, Abe is poised to become Japan's longest-serving leader in August 2021.

Japan digital currency exchange hacked
Hackers have stolen 6.7 billion yen (USD 60 million) worth of cryptocurrencies from a Japanese digital currency exchange, the operators said Thursday. Tech Bureau Corp. said a server for its Zaif exchange was hacked for two hours last week, and some digital currencies got unlawfully relayed. The exchange was taken offline until details of the damage could be confirmed.

Constituting change
Abe has said he is determined to push for a revision to the U.S.-drafted 1947 constitution. Abe has said he hopes his party could submit a draft constitution revision to a parliamentary session later this year ahead of a national referendum. Abe is proposing to add a clause to Article 9, which bans the use of force in settling international disputes, to explicitly permit the existence of Japan's military, now called the Self-Defense Force. Constitutional revision is divisive and it's unclear whether Abe could get enough votes for passage.

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