Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe — one of the most consequential leaders of Japan in it’s post-war history — was Japan’s longest serving Prime Minister, having served two terms from 2006 to 2007 and then from 2012 to 2020.
Shinzo Abe, the former Prime Minister of Japan, has died, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK announced on Friday (July 8). He had earlier been unconscious and showing no vital signs after being shot at and wounded at an election meeting earlier in the morning. He was 67.
NHK said, “According to LDP officials, Shinzo Abe, the former Prime Minister, who was shot with a gun during the speech, died at a hospital in Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture, where he was being treated.”
The assassin was identified by the Japanese media as Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old, who was an ex-marine in Japan’s self-defence forces.
Abe — one of the most consequential leaders of Japan in its post-war history — was the country’s longest serving Prime Minister, having served two terms from 2006 to 2007 and then from 2012 to 2020. He announced in August 2020 that he would step down from his post following the resurfacing of a chronic illness. Abe, who was then 65, was due to be in office until September 2021.
During his time in office, Abe was a great friend of India, and a relationship that he invested personally in. He also had a special rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which came out on multiple occasions.
After Abe announced his decision to step down in 2020, Modi tweeted: “Pained to hear about your ill health, my dear friend @AbeShinzo. In recent years, with your wise leadership and personal commitment, the India-Japan partnership has become deeper and stronger than ever before. I wish and pray for your speedy recovery.”
Explained |Why New Delhi will miss Shinzo Abe, who gave new shape to Japan’s India ties
On Friday, as the news spread about the attack on Abe, Modi tweeted, “Deeply distressed by the attack on my dear friend Abe Shinzo. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and the people of Japan.”
Transformation in India-Japan ties
During his first stint in 2006-07, Abe visited India and addressed Parliament. During his second stint — during which he overtook the record set by Eisaku Sato, his great-uncle, of the number of days spent consecutively in office — he visited India thrice: in January 2014, December 2015, and September 2017. No other Prime Minister of Japan has made so many visits to India.
He was the first Japanese PM to be Chief Guest at the Republic Day parade in 2014. This reflected his commitment towards an India relationship — he was being hosted by a government that would be facing elections in May 2014. As Japan’s leader, he was wooed both by the UPA under Dr Manmohan Singh and the NDA under Modi.
While the foundation for “Global Partnership between Japan and India” was laid in 2001, and annual bilateral summits were agreed in 2005, Abe accelerated the pace of ties since 2012.
In August 2007, when Abe visited India for the first time as PM, he delivered the now-famous “Confluence of the Two Seas” speech — laying the foundation for his concept of Indo-Pacific. This concept has now become mainstream and one of the main pillars of India-Japan ties.
During his second term, Abe helped build the relationship further.
Prime Ministers Modi and Abe
Having visited Japan several times as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi as PM chose Japan for his first bilateral visit outside the neighbourhood, in September 2014. Modi and Abe agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to “Special Strategic and Global Partnership”. The relationship grew and encompassed issues from civilian nuclear energy to maritime security, bullet trains to quality infrastructure, Act East policy to Indo-Pacific strategy.
When Modi went to Japan in 2014, the Indo-Japan nuclear deal was still uncertain, with Tokyo sensitive about a pact with a non-Nuclear-Proliferation-Treaty member country. Abe’s government convinced the anti-nuclear hawks in Japan to sign the agreement in 2016. The pact was key to India’s deals with US and French nuclear firms, which were either owned by or had stakes in Japanese firms.
Defence cooperation and Indo-Pacific
While the security agreement was in place since 2008, under Abe the two sides decided to have Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting (2+2), and started negotiations on the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement — a kind of military logistics support pact. In November 2019, the first Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting was held in New Delhi. A pact for transfer of defence equipment and technology was also signed in 2015, an uncommon agreement for post-War Japan.
During Abe’s tenure, India and Japan came closer in the Indo-Pacific architecture. Abe had spelt out his vision of the Confluence of the Two Seas in his 2007 speech when the Quad was formed. It collapsed soon, but in October 2017, as Chinese aggression grew in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and India’s borders in Doklam, it was Abe’s Japan that really mooted the idea of reviving the Quad. In November 2017, it was revived as Indian, Japanese, Australia and US officials met in Manila on the sidelines of the East Asia summit.
Stood by India on stand-offs with China
Since 2013, Indian and Chinese soldiers have had four publicly known border-stand-offs — April 2013, September 2014, June-August 2017, and the ongoing one since May 2020. Abe’s Japan has stood with India through each of them. During the Doklam crisis and the current stand-off, Japan has made statements against China for changing the status quo.
Infrastructure cooperation
During Abe’s visit in 2015, India decided to introduce the Shinkansen system (bullet train). Under Abe’s leadership, India and Japan also formed the Act East Forum and are engaged in projects in the Northeast, closely watched by China. The two countries also planned joint projects in Maldives and Sri Lanka among others to counter Beijing’s influence.
A leader India always missed
Abe was a valuable G-7 leader for India, focused on strategic, economic and political deliverables, and not getting distracted by India’s domestic developments — much to New Delhi’s comfort.
Having hosted Modi at his ancestral home in Yamanashi, the first such reception extended to a foreign leader, Abe was feted at a roadshow in Ahmedabad. His planned visit to India in December 2020 in Guwahati, however, was cancelled due to the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
When Abe announced he had decided to step down, a South Block official said his successor would “have big shoes to fill”
World mourns as former Japan PM Shinzo Abe succumbs to bullet wounds
Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe was shot at in the city of Nara
Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe died at the age of 67 on Friday after being shot in the city of Nara, local media reported.
Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said Abe was shot at around 11.30 am (local time). Earlier in the day, Abe was taken to a hospital bleeding as he collapsed after the attack while delivering a speech, local media reported.
Japanese PM Fumio Kishida had earlier said Abe was in "severe condition", adding that he hoped Abe would survive.
"(It) is a despicable act of barbarity that occurred when an election, which is the basis of democracy, is being held and is totally unacceptable," Kishida said.
Multiple shots were fired by attacker, who has now been arrested, TBS newtork said. Abe was hit in left chest, one shot appeared to have hit his neck, TBS said.
"Such an act of barbarity cannot be tolerated," Matsuno told a briefing.
An NHK reporter, who was present on the scene, said they could hear two consecutive bangs during Abe's speech.
Abe had served two terms as prime minister to become Japan's longest-serving premier. He had stepped down in 2020 citing ill health.
Reacting to his death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared one day of national mourning on Saturday on July 9 as he said, "Shocked and saddened beyond words at tragic demise of one of my dearest friends, Shinzo Abe. He was a towering global statesman, outstanding leader and a remarkable administrator. He dedicated his life to make Japan and the world a better place."
"My association with Mr. Abe goes back many years. I had got to know him during my tenure as Gujarat CM and our friendship continued after I became PM. His sharp insights on economy and global affairs always made a deep impression on me," PM Modi said.
"Mr Abe made an immense contribution to elevating India-Japan relations to the level of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Today, the whole of India mourns with Japan and we stand in solidarity with our Japanese brothers and sisters in this difficult moment," the Prime Minister said.
Many world leaders also expressed their sadness on the attack on the former Japanese leader, while many slammed the act terming it ‘senseless act of violence.’
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong termed the act as a senseless act of violence saying “Mr.
Abe is a good friend of Singapore. I had just hosted him to lunch in May, on my visit to Tokyo. My thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Abe and his family.”
Former U. S. President Donald Trump said the attack on Abe was devastating and described Abe as a truly great man and leader saying he was a true friend of mine and, much more importantly, America.
This is a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan, who loved and admired him so much. We are all praying for Shinzo and his beautiful family! Trump said on his social media app.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said he learned the news with great shock and dismay. I extend my deep sympathy and pray for his early recovery, he said.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said he was saddened and shocked of the news of the attack on the former Japanese leader.
“On behalf of the Government and the people of Malaysia, I would like to express profound condolences to the Government and people of Japan, and the family of the demised former Prime Minister of Japan, H. E. Shinzo Abe
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