He won six national elections and built a rock-solid grip on power. He returned to the premiership in 2012, vowing to revitalize the nation and get its economy out of its deflationary doldrums with his “Abenomics” formula, which combines fiscal stimulus, monetary easing and structural reforms. The overly nationalistic stint in office abruptly ended a year later, also because of his health, prompting six years of annual leadership change. He was the grandson of another prime minister and became Japan's youngest prime minister in 2006, at age 52.

He said he regretted leave many of his goals unfinished, including revising a constitution that some ultra-conservatives consider a humiliation. The wake and funeral for Japan's longest-serving political leader are expected in coming days.Ībe, 67, stepped down as prime minister two years ago, citing health reasons. “Mostly I'm here because the United States and Japan are more than allies - we are friends.”īlinken said Abe “did more than anyone to elevate the relationship between the United States and Japan to new heights.”īlinken was the highest-ranking US official to visit Japan in the aftermath of Abe's death. “We simply want them to know that we deeply feel the loss on the personal level as well,” Blinken told Kishida.

The governing bloc already had the needed support in the lower house.Įarlier Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Kishida to offer condolences and deliver a letter from President Joe Biden to Abe's family. With the help of two opposition parties supportive of a charter change, the governing bloc now has two-thirds majority in the upper chamber needed to propose an amendment. The result means Kishida could rule uninterrupted until a scheduled election in 2025 and allows him to work on long-term policies.Īdvancement on amending the constitution is now a realistic possibility. Sunday's vote gave the LDP-led coalition 146 seats in the 248-seat upper chamber, the less powerful of parliament's two houses. “We will inherit his will and tackle the issues he had to leave unachieved,” including an amendment to the US-drafted postwar pacifist constitution. “Our party must unite as we face difficult issues.'Īt a time of security and economic challenges in and outside Japan, Abe's death is most regrettable, Kishida said.

“Because we've lost a great leader, undeniably we could be affected in many ways,' Kishida said.

Unity funeral