Center for American Progress

Shinzo Abe’s greatest achievement may turn out to be Fumio Kishida
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Shinzo Abe’s greatest achievement may turn out to be Fumio Kishida

Tobias Harris discusses how Shinzo Abe transformed Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party into a more ideologically cohesive conservative party.

Twelve years after leaving 10 Downing Street, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was asked at a dinner what she thought her greatest achievement was. “Tony Blair and New Labour,” she reportedly answered. “We forced our opponents to change their minds.”

As Shinzo Abe is laid to rest, and Fumio Kishida, fresh from an upper house election victory, prepares to resume governing without the former prime minister present in Liberal Democratic Party deliberations, one wonders whether Kishida may one day look like Abe’s greatest achievement.

The above excerpt was originally published in Nikkei Asia. Click here to view the full article.

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Author

Tobias Harris

Former Senior Fellow

Department

National Security and International Policy

Advancing progressive national security policies that are grounded in respect for democratic values: accountability, rule of law, and human rights.

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