Shinzo Abe is one of Â鶹´«Ã½ most polarizing prime ministers in decades. He may also have a good shot at becoming that rarity in Japanese politics ¡ª a long-serving leader.
Whether that proves to be the case depends on whether Abe, who surged back to power 20 months ago for a second shot at Â鶹´«Ã½ top job, can temper his conservative ideology with pragmatism and keep his pledges to end two decades of economic stagnation.
Abe¡¯s first term ended when, suffering ill health and facing political deadlock, he quit in 2007 after one troubled year. His focus then was on a controversial agenda that included turning the page on Â鶹´«Ã½ wartime past and easing the limits of the pacifist Constitution. That agenda failed to resonate with voters who were worried about jobs and pensions.
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