one of the main exponents of traditionalism

With the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abethe traditionalist conservative current of Japanese politics is losing one of its key exponents and a transformer of the country’s economic and military policies, thanks respectively to a liberalization effort and an attempt to move away from post-war pacifism.

Abe served two terms as prime minister, becoming Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, before stepping down in 2020. ulcerative colitisthe health problem that has dragged on since adolescence.

Backed by the groundbreaking tone of its predecessor, Junichiro Koizumiand in the traditional principles of his grandfather and former prime minister (1957-1960) nobusuke kishiAbe entered politics in 1982 as an advisor to his father Shintaro and from there he began to rise through the ranks thanks to the aggressiveness of his messages about existential threats, in his view that countries like China or North Korea they represented for Japan.

Yasukuni and the right to collective self-defense

This character was perfectly represented during his controversial 2013 visit to the war shrine from Yasukuni, which China and the two Koreas remember as a symbol of Japan’s imperial military past.

His performance in Yasukuni was the prelude to what would happen two years later: the declaration of an initiative to obtain the right of collective self-defense, that is, to allow Japan to mobilize troops abroad to protect itself and its attacked allies. to defend .

However, he failed to codify this right into the Japanese constitution, and the issue continues to divide the country.

Taiwanese ally and friend of Trump

As in the military panorama, the results of his economic policies did not achieve the expected objectives.

After a few years of relative momentum, the country slipped into recession again in the spring of 2020, during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, which Abe took advantage of to bolster Japan’s international position as an unconditional ally of Taiwan, over which China claims sovereignty. by acting as a facilitator for the delivery of millions of vaccines.

Abe also cultivated his friendship with then US President Donald Trump. He was the first foreign leader to meet with the new US president after his victory in the 2016 election and showed the Red carpet during the president’s 2019 state visit to Japan.

The return of his illness, along with the erosion of his public figure after several scandals (such as the arrest of his former justice minister) and criticism of his management of the early months of the pandemic led to his resignation and resignation in August 2020. took on his dream to become president of the olympic games opening ceremonyeventually postponed to 2021.