SHINZO ABE (1954-2022)

Shinzo Abe, former Japanese Prime Minister, dies aged 67

When a man of peace is silenced by the forces of violence and evil, the world stops in shock. This is perhaps the most apt description of the worldwide grief at the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. The longest serving Prime Minister of Japan was last week killed while speaking at a campaign rally in support of a candidate of his liberal Democratic Party. The assassin, a 41-year-old unemployed man, remains in custody as investigations into motives continue. Preliminary reports indicate that he may have targeted the former prime minister whom he killed with a home-made gun due to a grudge.    

Meanwhile, the shock of Abe’s assassination is deepened by the fact that Japan has one of the world’s lowest records of gun violence or even general homicide. And targeted killings like that of Abe are rare. The annual homicide rate is less than 10 in a country of 125 million people where a 1958 legislation on the possession of firearms states: “No one shall possess a firearm or firearms or a sword or swords.” Indeed, owning a gun in Japan takes a long and tedious process involving joining a hunting or shooting club, passing a written examination and securing medical certification about the state of mental health. And civilians are not, on their own, allowed to purchase a gun which perhaps explains why Abe’s killer used a weapon he probably fabricated.

As Japan mourns one of their most illustrious leaders, the late Abe is best remembered for his signature economic policy that came to be known worldwide as Abenomics. The backdrop to the popularity and effectiveness of Abenomics was the deflation and stagnation that characterised Japan’s economic life for many decades before Abe’s advent in 2012. Abenomics was therefore deliberately targeted to tackle these specific problems and the impact of an aging work force and declining productivity. Abenomics had three key aspects: fiscal policy, monetary policy and structural reforms. The fiscal aspect focused on providing extensive stimulus package to jump start a stagnant economy. The monetary aspect aimed to inject funds into the economy while structural reforms focused on increasing access to credit and ramping up industrial production. It ultimately helped to increase the work force by adding two million women and young people.



On the global stage, the late Abe made a deliberate effort to reposition Japan. He leveraged the success of Abenomics to send an unmistakable message to the world that Japan was back for business. Abe travelled the world, visiting over 50 countries including India and China during his tenure. In particular, he strove to strengthen relations with the United States. In this regard, Abe strove to tamp down memories of the lingering animosity of the Second World War.  In a series of symbolic historical gestures, Abe walked side by side with former President Barack Obama to visit the significant war destinations of Hiroshima and Pearl Habour. Significantly, Japan under Abe became a major pillar of the transpacific alliance.

Elsewhere, relations between Japan and the European Union and NATO improved and grew under Abe. On the continent, Abe is credited for strengthening trade and diplomatic relations between Japan and Africa throughout his reign. The African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Akinwumi Adesina who described Abe “a powerful voice for good in the world,” has also said the late Japanese leader was a friend of the continent. “A great friend of Africa,” Adesina said. “He drove TICAD for a very strong Japan-Africa partnership. My condolences to his family, the government and people of Japan.”  It is no wonder then that Abe’s surprising assassination has evoked a global torrent of grief and condemnations. In Abe, the world has lost an illustrious global statesman and symbol of peace and progress.