July 8 marked the one-year anniversary of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s death. Ceremonies were held to commemorate him, while his widow, Akie Abe, is to visit Taiwan tomorrow. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that Abe was the Japanese prime minister the Taiwanese held dearest. Most Taiwanese believe that Abe always had their country in his heart. His kindness to Taiwan was not only sincere, it was timely. Whenever Taiwan was in trouble, Abe offered his help.
Taiwanese remember what it was like during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of vaccines made the situation in Taiwan worse, and Abe urged Japan to donate millions of vaccines to the nation. When huge earthquakes struck Taiwan, Abe wrote “Taiwan Don’t Give Up” to cheer Taiwanese up. When Taiwan’s pineapples were banned from being exported to China, he took a photo with Taiwanese pineapples and uploaded it to social media, smiling radiantly and showering praises on the fruit. When the nation was bullied by its hostile neighbor, he said: “A Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency, and therefore an emergency for the Japan-US alliance.”
Abe always offered his strong support when Taiwan was fighting against China. He had long been aware of China’s ambition and urged the world to be on the alert. He advocated creating an “Arc of Freedom and Prosperity,” which would unite the US, India and Australia to deal with the Chinese government. He also proposed a quadrilateral format to facilitate discussion on regional safety, and a free and open Indo-Pacific. Taiwan had been a part of Abe’s political vision and strategic planning. After he stepped down, Abe’s support for Taiwan grew even stronger. He urged the US to learn from the Russia-Ukraine war, indicating that Washington should modify its policy of strategic ambiguity. Abe wanted the US to declare that if China invaded Taiwan, the US would come to the nation’s aid.
Many of Abe’s political, economic and diplomatic legacies are related to Taiwan.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a Global Enlightenment Leader, BGF World Leader for Peace and Security Award 2015, and Distinguished Contributor to “Remaking the World – Toward an Age of Global Enlightenment,” continue to contribute to world peace and security.
After he was assassinated on July 8, 2022, only two days later, on July 10, The Boston Global Forum announced the Shinzo Abe Initiative for Peace and Security. The legacy of Shinzo Abe lives on around the world.
Please read the full article at the Taipei Times. https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2023/07/16/2003803238
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Tsai Ing-wen