[E312]Abe's New Year Speech Met with Skepticism Among Japanese……
Abe's New Year Speech Met with Skepticism Among Japanese Public
From CRIENGLISH.com
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Prime Minister[首相] Shinzo Abe listed achievements in his government's efforts to repair Japan's economy[恢复/重振日本经济] - rising employment and wages[就业和工资水平] - and claims Japan is no longer in deflation[不再处于通缩状态].
However, consumer consumption levels[居民消费水平] in the country are still lower than what they were before he enacted[制定（法律），通过（法案）] an unpopular tax hike[增加赋税] in April of 2014.
Many locals in Tokyo say they do not have much confidence in the country's economic recovery.
"I think the Abenomics[安倍经济学] is only half way there. I think and hope it is entering the final phase[进入最后阶段]."
"To white collar workers[白领阶层] like us, we measure the economy by something more visible, like our wages and our living standards. I have not felt them as much and I think public confidence[公众信心] will return once we see something more visible."
On foreign affairs[外交事务], the Prime Minister promised to continue to work closely with the world and take a lead in facing international issues[面对国际事务发挥领袖作用].
But Japanese publicist[宣传人员; 宣传代理人; 政论家; 时事评论员] Honzawa Jiro says the Prime Minister's foreign policy failed to bring success to Japan in 2015, and instead led Japan into a diplomatic quagmire[外交泥潭].
"From Abe's own standpoint[立场，观点], his diplomacy may be a success. However, from the standpoint of the Japanese and Asian people who love peace, it's quite awful. I'm sorry to make this conclusion."
He also says Japan should stick to its pacifist Constitution[和平宪法] as many Japanese people worry Abe's Constitutional reform[宪政改革] is leading Japan to a dangerous place.
"The pacifist Constitution[和平宪法] of Japan is based on the overall international situation[国际总体局势]. It stresses that wars should be avoided. It's an excellent constitution.
Japan should abide by[遵守(宪法)] this constitution, keep good diplomatic relations with all countries[同各国保持好外交关系] and never become a military threat[军事威胁]."
Despite this, Abe persisted with[坚持] his policy of Constitutional reform.
In the more powerful lower house of parliament[国会下议院], Abe's ruling coalition[执政联盟] has a two-thirds majority and hold a majority in the smaller upper caucus[ˈkɔkəs][干部会议; 核心小组; 决策委员会; 秘密会议].
Article 96 of the Japanese Constitution stipulates[ˈstɪpjəˌlet][规定，约定，讲明] that the nation's Supreme Law[最高法律] can be considered for revision if at least two-thirds from each chamber of
parliament[议会议院] approve the motion[运动; 手势; 动机，意向; 请求] and the majority do so in a referendum[ˌrɛfəˈrɛndəm][公民投票; 外交官请示书; 全民公决].
For CRI, I'm Ryan Price.