Abe has bought Japan some breathing space. Now comes the hard part: structural reform. As a Japanese resident, I'm hopeful, but not optimistic. Japanese cultur

Abe has bought Japan some breathing space. Now comes the hard part: structural reform. As a Japanese resident, I'm hopeful, but not optimistic. Japanese culture favours stability, consensus and precedent. Cronyism and powerful interest groups are the norm. Reform is viewed with suspicion. To prevail, Abe will need enormous personal authority, but the revolving door premiership (a new prime minister every six months or so for the past few years) deprives him of this.