Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe passes away

Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe has been confirmed dead after he was shot at a campaign event. He was the longest serving prime minister of Japan. Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated on Friday by a gunman during an election campaign speech in Nara city, left behind a divided legacy. While the longest-serving prime minister is acclaimed for ensuring political stability, revitalizing Japan’s economy and a strong standing in Asia relations. He had a great foreign policy, In his two terms as the prime minister of Japan, sought to upgrade the strategic Japan–India relationship. Abe initiated the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue between Japan, the United States, Australia, and India in 2007. His three-day visit to India in August 2007 inaugurated a new bilateral Asian alliance, building on the long history of friendly bilateral relations between India and Japan. Abe’s initiative was to establish the “fifth” bilateral link in an emerging scenario, whereby, the U.S.–Australia, U.S.–Japan, Japan–Australia, and the U.S.–India links are supportive strategic alignments.