This article offers a tentative evaluation of Shinzo Abe’s foreign policy legacy, noting how media narratives often praised his strengths while ignoring serious flaws. It reminds readers that time and historical distance are needed for a more accurate accounting of any leader’s impact. With Japan’s hereditary politics in focus, the piece examines Abe’s controversial rise and unresolved legacy.

There is a palpable sense of anxiety in some quarters in Japan at the prospect of a DPJ-led government – yet this democratic transition is exactly what voters signaled they want.

History shows that emotional issues like abductions are best resolved through hard bargaining and incentives, not just rhetoric or sanctions.

Japan’s brand of patriotism is subdued and largely benign; flag-waving ultranationalists are a fringe spectacle, not a central political force.

Tokyo’s slow response will strengthen the arguments of skeptics who doubt that Japan can contribute to global security.