A lone gunman claimed the life of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on July 8, shocking a largely violence-free nation. Tributes poured in from all over the world and commentators in many countries praised Abe’s enormous contributions to foreign policy, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, where Japan under his leadership has emerged as a critical regional power. In remembering Abe, however, little has been said about his domestic legacy. On the surface, Abenomics brought about an era of quantitative easing and relatively low unemployment. Abe promised to boost productivity and bring solutions to Japan’s aging society. And while exports grew and Japan had long stretches of positive economic growth, an essential segment of Japan’s population was left largely behind: women.
Mark Cogan
Mark S. Cogan is an Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.Categories
About Mark
Mark S. Cogan is a Associate Professor at Kansai Gaidai University based in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. He is a former communications specialist with the United Nations in Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.