Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Shinzo Abe changed Japan’s meaning for Australia

Recommendable! Shinzo Abe was a transformative Western leader (here is my brief legacy on him)!

"Before Shinzo Abe, Australia’s vital economic relationship with Japan had only small, slowly evolving defence, strategic and intelligence dimensions. By the time he finished as Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, Australia and Japan were quasi-allies. ...
Abe delivered that revolution. He expanded Japan’s understanding of its regional power and international prerogatives far beyond Australia’s imaginings. In his second term as leader (2012–2020), he transformed Japan’s foreign policy; one part of that was the ‘special relationship’ with Australia.
In 2014, Abe travelled to Canberra to seal a free-trade agreement with Australia. The work had started during his first term as prime minister. After seven long years of negotiation, he made it happen, as much a statement of strategic intent as an economic partnership. ..."

Abe changed Japan’s meaning for Australia | The Strategist

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