Shinzo Abe, a charismatic leader who was committed to deepening Japan's ties with India

Shinzo Abe, a charismatic leader who was committed to deepening Japan's ties with India
New Delhi[India], July 8 : Shinzo Abe, who had been the longest-serving Japanense prime minister, was a friend of India whose tenure saw the bilateral ties gain new strength and depth and whose strategic vision left a deep imprint on the global stage.
A charismatic leader, who was the first Japan Prime Minister born after the Second World War, Abe left a lasting economic legacy in Japan which became famous as 'Abenomics'.
Born on September 21, 1954, Abe belonged to a political family and moved up the ladder of Japan politics holding various responsible positions. His grandfather Nobusuke Kishi was Prime Minister of Japan from 1957 to 1960 and his father Shintaro Abe was country's Foreign Minister from 1982 to 1986.
Abe first became Prime Minister in 2006. He again held the post in 2012 and was re-elected in 2014 and 2017 with his continued stint gave stability to the country while ushering faster growth. He announced his resignation in August 2020 as a chronic illness resurfaced.
Abe visited India during his first stint and addressed the Parliament. His fondness for India is reflected in his visits, the most by any Japanese Prime Minister.
In 2014, he became the first Japanese PM to be chief guest at the Republic Day parade. He also visited India in December 2015 and September 2017 and accelerated the pace of bilateral ties.
Abe's famous 'Confluence of the Two Seas' speech, which he made during his first visit to India as Prime Minister, laid the foundation for his concept of Indo-Pacific.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Abe shared a personal chemistry and had an apparent convergence of views. The bilateral relationship was elevated to Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. It was under Abe's leadership that India and Japan finally decided to sign the civil nuclear pact in 2016.
PM Modi referred to him as dear friend. Having known Abe since he was Gujarat Chief Minister, PM Modi chose Japan for his first bilateral visit outside the neighbourhood, in September 2014 in recognition of the significance India attaches to its ties with Japan. The relationship has grown into new areas and Japan is a key partner in India's infrastructure development.
A sensitive leader, Shinzo Abe apologised to the people of Japan after deciding to resign "for leaving my post with one year left in my term of office, and amid the Coronavirus woes, while various policies are still in the process of being implemented".
Abe sought to revise the post-war constitution to give more power to the military and increased defence spending. 'Abenomics' relied on quantitative easing, fiscal spending and structural reforms.
Shinzo Abe positioned himself as an enthusiastic advocate of promoting equality in Japanese society and this aspect of his policy came to known as "womenomics".
China's actions on the border also brought India and Japan closer and they have embarked on joint connectivity projects including Asia Africa Growth Corridor.
During his visit in 2007, Abe quoted Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh in the Indian Parliament highlighting the link between the Indian and the Pacific Ocean.
"Pacific & Indian Oceans are now bringing about a dynamic coupling as seas of freedom & of prosperity," he had said.
During his visit in 2015, Abe performed 'Ganga Aarti' with PM Modi in Varanasi.
PM Modi met Shinzo Abe in May during Quad Summit in Tokyo along with two other former Japanese Prime Ministers. After Abe announced in 2020 that he was resigning due to health reasons, PM Modi had recalled his contributions to the growth of bilateral ties.
"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," he had said.
The Prime Minister paid glowing tributes on Shinzo Abe's passing away stating that he dedicated his life to make Japan and the world a better place.
"I am shocked and saddened beyond words at the tragic demise of one of my dearest friends, Shinzo Abe. He was a towering global statesman, an outstanding leader, and a remarkable administrator. He dedicated his life to make Japan and the world a better place," PM Modi said in a tweet.
The Prime Minister noted that Abe made an immense contribution to elevating India-Japan relations to the level of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. "Today, whole India mourns with Japan and we stand in solidarity with our Japanese brothers and sisters in this difficult moment," he said.