Japan prepares to vote

Here’s a bright idea: in the middle of a recession, call an election.

That’s exactly what the prime minister of Japan has done. The voting is set for Sunday, and he actually could be headed for a landslide. Polls suggest Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling party could win a two-thirds majority. In this case, it’s not “the economy, stupid.” It’s the enfeebled opposition, analysts say.

Despite the GDP contraction, Japan’s economy may not be that bad. Adam Posen, President of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, sees parts of the “Abe-nomics” shock therapy working: monetary easing and reforms to bring more women into the workforce. There’s more to do, Posen says, but a victory could give Abe a mandate to pursue additional, significant changes: cutting business taxes, shrinking the deficit, and striking a trade deal with Washington.