| Summary/Abstract |
Japanese domestic politics grew more volatile and complex in 2017, as LDP electoral reversals were followed by opposition fragmentation and then conservative consolidation. Foreign policy was dominated by the security challenge of North Korea, but also involved deepened relations with the US and Europe, as well as unanticipated improvement with China and South Korea. Macroeconomic trends were positive, but structural reform proceeded only slowly. Japanese society remained slow to change.
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