One might say that Shinzo Abe’s career had been preordained from the very moment he was born, into one of Japan’s most prominent political families, in 1954. But that is true only to the extent that he followed his father and both grandfathers into national politics.
Long before his life was cruelly cut short on Friday, when he was shot dead by a lone gunman while campaigning for his party in the prefecture of Nara, Abe had carved out a place for himself in modern Japanese history that will be his alone for a very long time to come.
Not only did he serve as prime minister, but he also served in that position longer than anyone else before him, including his maternal grandfather Nobusuke Kishi. Wielding power for almost eight years, across two stints, in an ultra-competitive system that rarely ever allows for lengthy terms or political comebacks, is an achievement in and of itself.
But while the record books are often rewritten, Abe’s place in the annals of history is more secure because of the fundamental ways in which he has shaped 21st-century Japan and the new Asian order.
His first stint in power, beginning in 2006, was so replete with scandals, scams, gaffes and gross violations of the law that it lasted only a year. In a sense, it wasn’t all that different from British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s tumultuous time in Downing Street over the past three years.
But unlike the lack of clarity that has come to characterise the “Global Britain” foreign policy doctrine championed by Mr Johnson in the aftermath of Brexit, Abe will forever be credited for formalising the Quadrilateral Dialogue – or the “Quad” – in 2007. According to experts, the purpose of the grouping, which includes Australia, India, Japan and the US, is to balance the rise of China. Judging by how successive administrations in all four countries have only strengthened the forum over the years, its role is almost certain to grow in the coming decades.
Abe carved out a place for himself in modern Japanese history that will be his alone for a very long time to come
Few could have predicted the significance of Abe’s big foreign policy decision at the time; it certainly wasn’t enough for him to save his job. But even as he was left on the sidelines for the next five years, he began laying the groundwork for a comeback of the kind few Japanese politicians had ever managed.
Abe succeeded in returning to power in 2012. Japan had been reeling from the strongest earthquake ever recorded in its history. It killed nearly 20,000 people, and caused billions of dollars’ worth of material damage. With the ruling party at the time struggling to rebuild the country, Abe, as leader of the opposition, seemed in that moment to be the right man.
During the 2012 election and in the years after it, Abe found a way to connect with, inspire and rally the public. He evoked Japan’s glorious past and convinced voters that a strong government was necessary to lift the country out of its “lost decades” of economic stagnation. Abe introduced a three-pronged package to rejuvenate the Japanese economy, but just as important to him was the need to revive Japan’s standing in the world – not dissimilar to the vision Emmanuel Macron would eventually sell to the French public when he came to power in 2017.
For the first time since the 1980s, there was a renewed sense of purpose in Japanese politics, and the results were there for all to see. As the country made an economic recovery, finally growing again, its passive stance on the global stage evolved to a more active one.
Abe personally campaigned for Japan’s bid to host the 2020 Olympics, and his government aggressively promoted tourism in the run-up to the summer games as part of an initiative called “Cool Japan”. When then US president Donald Trump pulled his country out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Abe rallied the nine other Pacific nations to create a Japan-led trade deal called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. He deepened Japan’s relations with India, and expanded its ties across the Arab world. He increased foreign aid to emerging nations in Asia and Africa. Abe, it seemed, was a man in a hurry on the world stage.
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But his legacy has been as controversial as it was consequential – particularly at home.
He was an ultraconservative, and his government revised school curriculums to create a nationalistic drive among children. He also attempted to reduce Japan’s sense of culpability for atrocities it committed in China and Korea during the Second World War. And he worked strenuously towards revising Japan’s post-war pacifist constitution that, among other things, restricts the country’s ability to wage conflict around the world.
According to Article 9 of the Japanese constitution, Japan’s “Self-Defence Forces” can go to war only when the country is perceived to be under attack. For decades Abe, and a number of right-wing politicians like him, called for the article to be amended if not entirely removed, deeming it outdated and encumbering of Japan’s rightful place in the world as a power.
However, because of how deeply unpopular the idea is among the electorate, prime minister Abe was unable to amend the article even though he commanded large majorities in both houses of the National Diet (as the Japanese parliament is called) – although he did circumvent the problem to some extent by passing a law "re-interpreting" the meaning of the article that allows troops to fight overseas. Today, the war in Ukraine may have moved the needle on the issue ever so slightly – particularly as Russia shares a maritime border with Japan, with a chain of islands under dispute since the end of the Second World War. For Abe, who led the largest faction in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, constitutional revision was an idea whose time had finally come.
There is little doubt that the long-standing rules-based global order is experiencing a violent shake-up these days. Perhaps Abe’s enduring legacy, in addition to Japan’s strengthened role on the world stage, will be that his acolytes will carry on this particular fight, and possibly even win.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):
Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Match will be shown on BeIN Sports
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80
Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Brief scores:
Toss: Sindhis, elected to field first
Pakhtoons 137-6 (10 ov)
Fletcher 68 not out; Cutting 2-14
Sindhis 129-8 (10 ov)
Perera 47; Sohail 2-18
THE DRAFT
The final phase of player recruitment for the T10 League has taken place, with UAE and Indian players being drafted to each of the eight teams.
Bengal Tigers
UAE players: Chirag Suri, Mohammed Usman
Indian: Zaheer Khan
Karachians
UAE players: Ahmed Raza, Ghulam Shabber
Indian: Pravin Tambe
Kerala Kings
UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Abdul Shakoor
Indian: RS Sodhi
Maratha Arabians
UAE players: Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
Indian: S Badrinath
Northern Warriors
UAE players: Imran Haider, Rahul Bhatia
Indian: Amitoze Singh
Pakhtoons
UAE players: Hafiz Kaleem, Sheer Walli
Indian: RP Singh
Punjabi Legends
UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Sandy Singh
Indian: Praveen Kumar
Rajputs
UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed
Indian: Munaf Patel
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
