Japan’s new PM LDP’s Shinzo Abe warns China over Senkakus

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, fires early warnings to China over territorial dispute.

13:17 18 December 2012

Shinzo Abe, who returns to power after winning Japan’s national election on Sunday, fires an early warning to China over territorial dispute, saying the Senkakus Islands (known as Diaoyus in China) are Japan’s inherent territory.

 

He said: “China is challenging the fact that (the islands) are Japan's inherent territory. Our objective is to stop the challenge. We don't intend to worsen relations between Japan and China.”

 

Mr Abe’s led the Liberal Democratic party to victory, which won 294 seats in lower house of the Diet. Another LDG’s ally, New Komeito Party will add in 31 more seats that will give Mr Abe the “supreme” power to overrule parliament’s upper house.

 

On the other hand, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has conceded and immediately quit as party leader calling the results of the election “extremely severe.” His party, which previously won 230 seats, scraped together just 57 seats in the latest election, ending the party’s three-year spell.

 

Mr Abe whose father and grandfather used to be Japan’s prime ministers, previously served as prime minister in 2006-2007. However, he was forced to resign due to poor public ratings and health condition.