Japan PM Kishida steps down, Thailand has new PM, Jokowi maneuvering behind the scenes, and NZ PM Luxon's speech at Lowy in Sydney

Views from Down Underer

Japan PM Kishida steps down and opens up new leadership contest within the LDP. Is it 'plus ca change' in the case of Japanese politics? Clan politics seem to be the name of the game in two Southeast Asian countries -- Thailand and Indonesia. Thailand's new PM is the formerly exiled Thaksin Shinawatra's daughter and the Shinawatra family seem to be on the mend with other significant actors in Thailand. Indonesia's outgoing president Jokowi was supposed to be the outsider but now seems to be ensuring that his family/clan will be signficant insiders in Indonesian politics. Lastly, NZ PM Chris Luxon gave an important foreign policy speech in Sydney. So now that Luxon talks the talk, the question remains is can he also walk the walk considering the difficult economic situation NZ finds itself in today.