Opposition leader blasts Abe's economic policies

Japan's main opposition Democratic Party leader Renho Murata on Wednesday blasted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over his economic policies, in the first head-to-head match up of the two leaders since she was elected to lead her party on Sept 15.

Regarding a policy speech Abe gave on Monday at the beginning of an extraordinary Diet session, she accused the prime minister of lying to the electorate and carrying on with his "Abenomics" economic policies, despite the fact no tangible headway has been made in terms of economic growth.

"Abe's slogans are cycling around, but it's about time for him to face up to the reality that the economy hasn't reached a virtuous cycle at all," said Murata, who is widely known by only her first name, Renho. "Individual consumption will start moving when we remove the anxiety about education, employment and retirement that Abenomics has left unresolved," she said.