shinzo abbe's legacy is tied to different genders, including his nameworthy abenomec. He was also the first japanese prime minister who didn't feel it necessary to publicly atone for previous war crimes. So as the tremors settle, how is shinzo Abbe's legacy viewed from within Japan and around the world? And what does this mean for Japan's political future? I'm joined by two guests to help us answer these questions. Jeff kingston of temple universities in tkio and satuna suzuki of soas university of london.
Japan's recently assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe was a leader who leaves behind a complex legacy. Internationally, he strengthened Japan's relationship with the US in ways unseen before. Closer to home, crucial good relations with South Korea dissipated. His attitude towards Japan's difficult history was sometimes praised as a readiness for neutrality, while others criticised this as denialist revisionism. In the weeks since Abe's death, Japanese citizens have also begun to grapple with the reality of how involved their political system has become with influential religious groups, too. To help unpack some of these issues and discuss how Japan will move forward, we're joined by two specialists in modern Japanese history, Satona Suzuki from SOAS, University of London, and Jeff Kingston from Temple University, Japan. Our host for this podcast is journalist and broadcaster Philippa Thomas.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices