Prime Minister Abe sought to expand Japan's international role but illness has forced his early retirement. His lifelong dream of reforming Japan's pacifist constitution remains unfulfilled, says Martin Fritz in Tokyo.
The former prime minister has died from his injuries after a shooting at the age of 67. Shinzo Abe resigned from the top post in 2020, but his legacy has had a lasting impact on everyday Japanese life and politics.
In light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, conservative Japanese MPs are pushing for the country to move further away from its pacifist principles, towards greater defense spending and counterstrike capabilities.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was able to tick many of the boxes on Japan’s wishlist during his virtual summit with U.S. President Joe Biden, but now the hard part begins.