Redwood: Are Abe's arrows hitting the mark?

When Shinzo Abe first took up his post as Japan's Prime Minister, he did so thanks to his vivid use of language, writes Charles Stanley's John Redwood.

He promised 'three arrows' of a new economic policy which would put some growth back into the sluggish Japanese economy. There would be another monetary stimulus, there would be a bigger budget deficit as the state spent more, and there would be reform of sectors that had institutionalised inertia. Some inflation would rekindle interest in shopping. Corporate Japan would become more competitive.  The voters loved it but, four years on, how is he doing? It has certainly worked politically. His ruling party is well placed, with no sign of a serious challenger. He won the 2014 and 201...