Abe retiring.

 So, it was announced yesterday that Prime Minister Abe will be resigning before the end of his term:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/08/29/national/politics-diplomacy/shinzo-abe-japan-coronavirus/

Honestly, I say good riddance. I have heard people praising Abe, but it seems many have forgotten that he made no secret of his intention to amend Japan's constitution to allow for Japan's military to operate outside of the country. For those not familiar, Japan's constitution only allows for the country to have a self defence force, and it cannot be deployed in any function overseas. This has been in place since the end of World War II, and from what I've observed, the average citizen is rather content to maintain that part of the constitution. Many feared that the change in the constitution would lead to conscription, due the rather small size of the country's defence force, and for Japan's military to be anything of substance when operating outside the country, conscription would be the logical way to go. Even my girlfriend was concerned with this, as this would have potentially meant that she could be conscripted - the backup plan was to leave Japan before conscription began. 

In any case, considering that the LDP kept on getting re-elected numerous times over the years, clearly people forgot what Abe's overall plans for the constitution were. 

Basically, it was

Abe/LDP: We want to amend the constitution to allow for our military to operate outside the country

Japan: We don't want the constitution amended!

*Japan vote for Abe/LDP*

Abe/LDP: We want to amend the constitution to allow for our military to operate outside the country

Japan: 

Then there's me, as a foreigner, looking from the sidelines:

Yeah, I'm not sad to see him go, considering he accomplished so little, aside from jacking up the consumption tax, then wondering why people are spending less.