On October 21st 2020, YCAPS, JUMP, and ICAS invited renowned author on Japanese politics Tobias Harris, to discuss Shinzo Abe and the legacy he left behind as the longest-ever serving prime minister of Japan. He also introduced some major talking points written in his newly published book “The Iconoclast: Shinzo Abe and the New Japan.”
Moderated by Caitlin Doornbos of YCAPS, the session began with Harris discussing the personal life of Abe, his relations to the world of politics and how it all intertwined with his entrance into the political fray and initial rise to premiership. With roughly 40 participants attending the online event, Harris dug deeper into Abe’s reemergence in 2012 and the direction Japanese policy took under his second tenure until his resignation. After the initial segment, questions from the audience were taken and discussed. Though most of the events dealt with Japan’s security policies under Abe, Harris also took note of the economic foreign policies and relations between Japan and neighboring countries both in North and South East Asia. The event gave great insight into the life of now-former Prime Minister Abe, including both his successes and failures, while also driving the discussion towards the post-Abe discourse now with the Suga administration.
ー By Keita Abe from International Christian University (ICU)