[Tublecane]

I never know, exactly, what “right” means. You never know what radicals want to change things to (could be less government, usually more), or what conservatives want to conserve (could be liberty; could be authority). I propose a new political spectrum: anarchists on one side and statists on the other. Who’s with me?

[ari-freedom]

yeah. to some, right wing means they’ll chop your fingers off if you chew gum in public.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Aso is not just right-leaning. It is a misleading expression. Aso is firmly right-wing in Japan's political spectrum. Especially in foreign policy. As for Japan's militarist past, he may be an apologist.

As for economic policy, they are not keen on income redistribution, in comparison with other political parties. More pro-business. Not necessarily for a small government in the real sense. However, they cut down their bureaucracy by some 40%. over 10 years. However, they suck up to their own special interests.

As for social and cultural issues, they are also conservative. No gay marriages, no peace movement, no radical environment agenda, no feminism. No usual left-wing social agendas.

[cartan]

You are right: Words like “liberal,” “right-wing” or “conservative” radically change their meanings when you cross borders. When I’m among Americans, calling me an “extreme right-wing nutjob” would be fine with me. In Germany, I am a member of the FDP, the party that calls itself “Die Liberalen.” Go figure…

Only “left-wing” seems to have the same meaning everywhere in the world.