The shock felt by many in Japan was a reflection of the mark he made on the country during his time as its longest-serving leader and the third generation of a political dynasty.
The change in power balance associated with China’s re-emergence as the largest economy in Asia has brought concerns about the Sino-U.S. strategic competition and raised questions concerning U.S. leadership in the Indo-Pacific region among many U.S.-aligned middle powers such as Australia, Japan, Canada, and India.