| Summary/Abstract |
When the first and second terms in office are combined, the total duration that Abe Shinzo served as Prime Minister of Japan exceeded that of all his predecessors. This article reviews and assesses the achievements of his second administration (December 2012–September 2020) with a focus on the fields of diplomacy and security. Selected policies in each of the two fields are described in detail. Although some important policies were not addressed, the author recognizes three particularly significant achievements by the Abe administration in the fields of diplomacy and security, which are: (i) the 2015 Legislation for Peace and Security; (ii) Prime Minister Abe’s statement marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II; and (iii) his 2016 initiative for pursuing a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).
|