Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died on Friday hours after he was shot during an election campaign event. Leaders across the world expressed sadness and shock at the assassination in Japan, a country that has some of the toughest gun laws in the world.
Abe, 67, was Japan's longest-serving leader before stepping down in 2020.
Earlier, it was reported that Abe was airlifted to a hospital and officials said he was not breathing and his heart had stopped. He was in cardio and pulmonary arrest as he was airlifted to the hospital, local fire department official Makoto Morimoto said.
Who was Shinzo Abe?
Shinzo Abe served as Japan’s longest post-war prime minister for eight years between 2012 and 2020. Prior to that, at the age of 52, he first became the prime minister in 2006. However, he stepped down after a year citing health concerns.
In August 2020, Abe again resigned from the post citing health conditions. He was succeeded by fellow Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Yoshihide Suga, who Fumio Kishida later replaced.
Abe later revealed that he was being treated for ulcerative colitis, a chronic intestinal disease.
Born on September 21, 1954, in Tokyo, Abe became the first Japanese prime minister to be born after World War II. He was married to Akie Abe. Abe comes from a political family. His grandfather Nobusuke Kishi was prime minister (1957-60), while his father Shintaro Abe was a foreign minister (1982-86).
Abe's ministership was also marred with many political controversies. His stance on Japan’s revisionist history led many politicians to term him the right-wing leader of the country.
Shinzo Abe: Foreign policy, security hawk
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is known for his hawkish stance on national and regional security and Japan's foreign policy.
Under the Japanese constitution — drafted by the United States after it defeated Japan in World War Two, Japan can never wage war and can never keep a military. This is why Japan does not call its military branches as "armed forces" but as "self-defence forces" (SDFs). Until Abe, Japan did not even have a defence ministry.
"When he [Abe] first became prime minister in 2006, Japan did not have a Defence Ministry. In 2007, the Defence Agency was upgraded to a Defence Ministry," noted Dhruva Jaishankar, Executive Director of Observer Research Foundation America.
Jaishankar further lists the steps in the security sphere taken by Abe.
- In 2012, Abe quickly established a National Security Council.
- In 2013, Abe established Japan's National Security Strategy and National Defense Program Guidelines that defined the architecture of SDFs.
- In 2014, Abe revised guidelines for US-Japan defense cooperation and announced new principles for the transfer of defense equipment and tech.
- In 2015, Abe established Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) to handle defence research, development, and procurement.
Abe was also the first leader after the World War to send troops overseas to fight.
Highlighting Abe's tenure in foreign policy and diplomatic spheres, Jaishankar wrote, "Of course, these radical national security reforms were supplemented by important diplomatic initiatives. Indians will of course know of his role in promoting the Free and Open Indo-Pacific and the Quad."
Abe also recognised China's challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, improving partnerships with countries like India and Australia.
"Abe was also an early mover in recognising the threat from China’s rise," said Robert Ward, Senior Fellow for Japanese Security Studies at The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
He added that Abe in 2014 predicted China's attempt at changing status quo in the region, which reflected in his call for 'the rule of law for all of us'.
Ward further said, "Recognising that Japan needed help in region, Abe also deepened Japan’s links with allies and partners, eg. India, Australia. The rebirth of Quad, of which he was a progenitor, in 2017 accelerated this. Abe also deployed Trump blasts to craft Japan's China policy."
While Abe has these things to his credits, there are also things he could not do. The failures include his approaches to Russia and South Korea.
Ward said, "His Russia policy failed. Now discredited since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. His South Korea policy ended in geo-economic stalemate with Seoul, damaging regional stability."
Abenomics: Abe's econmic, trade policy
Shinzo Abe became prime minister at a time when the country was in recession and his economic approach to the crisis has been called "Abenomics".
The BBC noted, "His economic policy —built on monetary easing, fiscal stimulus, structural reforms— was credited with helping growth return to a faltering economy."
Abe also championed regional and international trade during his tenure. He worked to save trade pacts at a time when the United States was isolating from international affairs under former US President Donald Trump.
Ward noted, "His 2nd administration also saw Japan start to strategically flex its geo-economic power. The 2016 Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) concept is part of this, an organising tool of economic statecraft that has gained traction well beyond Japan’s rescue of the TPP after US withdrawal, and its relaunch as CPTPP was a signature achievement of the 2nd Abe administration. Indo-Pacific trade would be strategically poorer without the CPTPP, especially given emergence of China-dominated RCEP."
While Abe managed to score on these fronts, he could not complete economic structural reforms in Japan.
Jaishankar noted, "If there's a major disappointment in hindsight, it might be on the economic front. Abe came back to power with a bang, promising 'Abenomics'. The first two arrows (monetary and fiscal stimulus) materialised, but the third arrow of structural reform proved incremental at best."
Ward noted, "Abenomics, a key part of Abe’s internal balancing, also has a mixed legacy. Altho the Bank of Japan [Japan's central bank] continues with Abenomics’s unorthodox monetary policy (and as such Japan is once again an international policy outlier), little progress was made on structural reform, gender equality."
Shinzo Abe's India ties
In January last year, India awarded Shinzo Abe the Padma Vibhushan —the country's second-highest civilian award— for 'exceptional and distinguished service' in the field of public affairs.
Abe was also the first Japanese PM to be the chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade in 2014.
After his death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India would observe a national mourning on Saturday in respect to Abe.
Leaders across party lines in India expressed shock and sadness at Abe's death.
