TOKYO: Shinzo Abe comes from a long line of politicians but the hawkish nationalist is now poised to put in writing his identify into the record books as Japan's longest-serving premier.
A shrewd diplomat who has cultivated family members with both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Abe has also cemented energy at house and faces nearly no political party opposition.
Groomed for energy from beginning, he is sometimes criticised as boastful, but has also shown a self-deprecating sense of humour, dressing up as online game character Super Mario at the 2016 Rio Olympics to present a zany preview of Tokyo 2020.
As North Korean missiles flew over Japan, he was once fast to realise the importance of maintaining robust ties with america, which provides successfully the only line of defence for the pacifist nation.
He famously visited Donald Trump in his glittering New York tower earlier than the magnate was once even sworn in to the White House.
And he has also cozied as much as Russian President Vladimir Putin and tried to heal ties with China, while pushing a nationalist schedule at house.
At house, he noticed off a shocking challenge from Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike to romp to victory in 2017 snap elections and proved remarkably resilient during weeks of scandal previous this yr that sapped his reputation.
Nationalist Abe has at times infuriated neighbours nonetheless scarred via Japan's war-time military aggression and his stated dream of reforming the charter to explain the role of the military is viewed with deep suspicion in the area.
He visited a arguable conflict shrine in December 2013, sparking anger amongst China and Korea that were previous victims of Japanese aggression and a diplomatic slap on the wrist from america, which said it was once "disappointed".
Abe, who turns 64 on Friday, has visited just about 80 nations and areas and held masses of summit conferences over the last 5 years as he vows to engage "more proactively in diplomacy that takes a panoramic perspective of the world map."
He joined Kobe Steel two years after graduating but grew to become to politics 3 years later, destined for political workplace because the son of a former foreign minister and grandson of a former top minister.
Building his political profession via speaking tricky against North Korea, he become Japan's youngest-ever top minister when he took workplace in 2006 at the age of 52.
But he resigned after only a yr, hit via scandals and debilitated via health problems.
In 2012, he made a surprise political comeback, returning to workplace on a pledge to revive Japan's economy along with his signature "Abenomics" programme built on energetic govt spending coupled with massive financial easing and red-tape chopping.
He has said he was once encouraged to seek a trail again to energy via reading a biography of Churchill entitled: "Never Despair."
A shrewd diplomat who has cultivated family members with both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Abe has also cemented energy at house and faces nearly no political party opposition.
Groomed for energy from beginning, he is sometimes criticised as boastful, but has also shown a self-deprecating sense of humour, dressing up as online game character Super Mario at the 2016 Rio Olympics to present a zany preview of Tokyo 2020.
As North Korean missiles flew over Japan, he was once fast to realise the importance of maintaining robust ties with america, which provides successfully the only line of defence for the pacifist nation.
He famously visited Donald Trump in his glittering New York tower earlier than the magnate was once even sworn in to the White House.
And he has also cozied as much as Russian President Vladimir Putin and tried to heal ties with China, while pushing a nationalist schedule at house.
At house, he noticed off a shocking challenge from Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike to romp to victory in 2017 snap elections and proved remarkably resilient during weeks of scandal previous this yr that sapped his reputation.
Nationalist Abe has at times infuriated neighbours nonetheless scarred via Japan's war-time military aggression and his stated dream of reforming the charter to explain the role of the military is viewed with deep suspicion in the area.
He visited a arguable conflict shrine in December 2013, sparking anger amongst China and Korea that were previous victims of Japanese aggression and a diplomatic slap on the wrist from america, which said it was once "disappointed".
Abe, who turns 64 on Friday, has visited just about 80 nations and areas and held masses of summit conferences over the last 5 years as he vows to engage "more proactively in diplomacy that takes a panoramic perspective of the world map."
He joined Kobe Steel two years after graduating but grew to become to politics 3 years later, destined for political workplace because the son of a former foreign minister and grandson of a former top minister.
Building his political profession via speaking tricky against North Korea, he become Japan's youngest-ever top minister when he took workplace in 2006 at the age of 52.
But he resigned after only a yr, hit via scandals and debilitated via health problems.
In 2012, he made a surprise political comeback, returning to workplace on a pledge to revive Japan's economy along with his signature "Abenomics" programme built on energetic govt spending coupled with massive financial easing and red-tape chopping.
He has said he was once encouraged to seek a trail again to energy via reading a biography of Churchill entitled: "Never Despair."
Shinzo Abe: Shrewd diplomat in for the long haul
![Shinzo Abe: Shrewd diplomat in for the long haul]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
September 20, 2018
Rating:
