You are listening to the War on the Rocks podcast on strategy, defense, and foreign affairs.

My name is Ryan Evans.

In this episode, we discuss the legacy of the recently assassinated former Japanese Prime

Minister Shinsoabe, his life in politics and how Japan has changed due to his leadership.

Joining us for this episode, our Maria Solis of the Brookings Institution and Sheila Smith of the most for. I think generally today as you see the discussion of his death in Japan

they're remembering the statesman, the former prime minister, the advocate of

not only Abenomics and the kind of revitalization of Japanese future prospects for the economy,

but also the Abbe that was on the global stage that managed President Obama and managed President Trump and kept Japan secure and hopeful about their future.

But I think there is a legacy at home inside Japan of critics of Abbe, who see him as a conservative nationalist,

as somebody whose administrations were quite restrictive for the press, as somebody who had political grudges that he often acted upon.

So you'll get a mixed interpretation depending on who you speak with, but generally it's

a positive legacy.

He was such a large political figure for, you know,

eight years as Prime Minister.

Then before he was Prime Minister in 2006, 2007,

leader of faction.

So when you think about what political life in Japan is about,

many people, especially the young people identify Abesan.

And I think that therefore many people feel that that compass is

gone and there is confusion as to what happens next there is confusion as to what

the party dynamics are going to be like now that the faction has lost him and he was such

a prominent voice in current debates.

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