The Shining Legacy of Shinzo Abe

It is with deep anguish that I write to express my heartfelt sorrow on the tragic and untimely passing away of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The cruel hand of an assassin has snatched him away from us, leaving a huge void in the Japanese political firmament as well as on the international stage.

As a former Ambassador to Japan in a crucial period from 2015 to 2018, I had a ringside view of the burgeoning ties between India and Japan, and a chance to make my modest contribution to a relationship that is likely to have the greatest impact on the geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific in the 21st century. I had a number of opportunities to meet him personally during my tenure in Tokyo. I was struck by his keen memory, his attention to detail and willingness to engage envoys from around the world. It was a singular honour for me to be invited to the annual lunch that he hosted at the Prime Minister’s official residence for Japanese-knowing Ambassadors.