With NHK + Kyodo confirming that Shinzo Abe is stepping down as Japan's prime minister, a thread on at least one aspect of his legacy: Japan's military normalization. A lot of the focus will be on his tenure (almost 9 years), the longest of any Japanese prime minister.
Also, how he loosened up Japanese politics. This thread by @observingjapan is wonderful.
But the revolution Abe brought about in Japan's role as a security actor is remarkable. Consider that when he first became prime minister in 2006, Japan did not have a Defence Ministry. In 2007, the Defence Agency (Boei-cho) was upgraded to a Defence Ministry (Boei-sho).
Upon his return to the prime ministership in late 2012, Abe moved quickly to establish a National Security Council, a National Security Strategy in late 2013, and National Defense Program Guidelines that defined the architecture of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF).
In 2014, the government revised guidelines for U.S.-Japan defense cooperation and announced new principles for the transfer of defense equipment and tech. In October 2015, it established an Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA) to handle defence R&D and procurement.
The most contentious change was the passage of legislation in 2015 to relax restrictions on Japan's ability to play a security role in overseas operations. This was put to test in UN peacekeeping operations in South Sudan, but had wider implications.
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, starting in some ways with this speech in New Delhi: mofa.go.jp/region/asia-pa…
But consider also this remarkably touching speech to the Australian parliament, at a time when questions about Japan's wartime record still bedeviled the relationship with that country. japan.kantei.go.jp/96_abe/stateme…
And two years later, he went a step further with a visit to Pearl Harbor along with President Obama. obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-offi…
Abe's outreach to Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia was no less impressive, even if repeated attempts to broker a deal with Russia never materialised.
Trade policy was another area where Abe proved a champion, salvaging TPP (in the form of CPTPP) and concluding an economic partnership agreement with the European Union.
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.
Nevertheless, Abe will be remembered as a PM that radically changed Japan's security profile and enhanced its position as a global actor. Handshakes notwithstanding.
