While I very much appreciate P.M. Abe going to Iran to meet with Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, I personally feel that it is too soon to even think about making a deal. They are not ready, and neither are we!
11:21 - 2019年6月13日
Japan's Shinzo Abe in Tehran for talks amid US-Iran tensions
12 June 2019
Share this with Facebook Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share this with Email Share https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-48578314
Will it boost Abe's image back home?
Most analysts see the real purpose of the trip in his domestic agenda.
It might not yield much in terms of US-Iran tensions, "but it's good for Mr Abe," explains Mr Dujarric. "It shows the voter that he is a world statesman."
And that is important for the Japanese prime minister. Elections for the upper house are coming up in July and there is speculation Mr Abe might call a snap general election if he is confident he will win it.
"The international diplomacy is part of the art and theatre of politics for Mr Abe," says Mr Kingston. "He is good at that."
Mr Abe came to office on a promise to restore Japan amid a feeling that the country's best years might be behind it.
As prime minister, he portrays himself as reviving the economy and as boosting the country's standing on the international stage.
Yet so far, his international diplomatic activity has yielded little results, experts say.
Tokyo has been sidelines in the negotiation with North Korea while talks with Russia over a group of disputed islands have also stalled.
But given that all these diplomatic issues - including the Middle East tensions - are notoriously difficult, there's actually very little risk or downside for the Japanese prime minister, observers say.
"He won't be seen as failing to resolve them but rather as trying to do something," says Mr Kingston.
"Foreign policy doesn't win elections, but it helps to make Mr Abe look more substantial than he is."
海外向けの会見の場で「潔白というのなら司法の場で無罪を証明すべきだ」というようなことを法務大臣が発言したのは重大な問題だ。有罪を立証するのは検察官であり、被告側で「無罪を証明すべき」などというのは、全くデタラメだ。森法務大臣は弁護士でもあるのに、「推定無罪の原則」という認識が全くないから、こういう発言をしてしまうのだろう。海外メディアは、こういう発言を、Minister of Justiceが行ったことに驚愕しているのではないか。刑事司法を所管している法務省のトップがこの有様だから、日本の刑事司法の改革は、国内だけでは実現できないということだろう。
