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.

Asia-Pacific, Democracy, International Issues

Media Contact

Sam Hananel

Senior Director, Media Relations

[email protected]

Government Affairs

Doug Molof

Director

[email protected]

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.

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here. American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.