Why PM Narendra Modi is attending the funeral of former Japan PM Shinzo Abe

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Tokyo to attend the state burial of former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. Modi had twittered on Monday, “ I’ll be conveying sincere condolences to Prime Minister Kishida and Mrs Abe on behalf of all Indians. We’ll continue working to further strengthen India- Japan relations as envisaged by Abe San. ”India had blazoned one- day public mourning on July 9 as a mark of respect for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot dead while making a crusade speech three months agone

On July 8, describing Shinzo as one of his “ dearest musketeers ”, PM Modi said he was a “ towering global statesman ”, an “ outstanding leader ”, and a “ remarkable director ”.I’m shocked and burdened beyond words at the woeful demise of one of my dearest musketeers, Shinzo Abe. He was a towering global statesman, an outstanding leader, and a remarkable director. He devoted his life to make Japan and the world a betterplace.Abe made an immense donation to elevating India- Japan relations to the position of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. moment, whole India mourns with Japan and we stand in solidarity with our Japanese sisters and sisters in this delicate moment, ” Modi twittered.

Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated on July 8, was one of the most consequential leaders of Japan in it’spost-war history. He was Japan’s longest serving Prime Minister, having served two terms from 2006 to 2007 and also from 2012 to 2020. He blazoned in August 2020 that he’d step down from his post following the resurfacing of a habitual illness. Abe, who was also 65, was due to be in office until September 2021.

During his time in office, Abe was a great friend of India, and a relationship that he invested tête-à-tête in. He also had a special fellowship with PM Modi, which came out on multiple occasions.

After Abe blazoned his decision to step down in 2020, Modi had twittered “ Pained to hear about your ill health, my dear friend@AbeShinzo. In recent times, with your wise leadership and particular commitment, the India- Japan cooperation has come deeper and stronger than ever ahead. I wish and supplicate for your speedy recovery. ”

During his first stint in 2006- 07, Abe visited India and addressed Parliament. During his alternate stint  during which he caught the record set by Eisaku Sato, his great- uncle, of the number of days spent successively in office — he visited India thrice, in January 2014, December 2015, and September 2017. No other Prime Minister of Japan has made so numerous visits to India.

He was the first Japanese PM to be Chief Guest at the Republic Day cortege in 2014. This reflected his commitment towards an India relationship — he was being hosted by a government that would be facing choices in May 2014. As Japan’s leader, he was asked both by the UPA under Dr Manmohan Singh and the NDA under Modi.While the foundation for “ Global Partnership between Japan and India ” was laid in 2001, and periodic bilateral summits were agreed in 2005, Abe accelerated the pace of ties since 2012.

In August 2007, when Abe visited India for the first time as PM, he delivered the now- notorious “ convergence of the Two Swell ” speech — laying the foundation for his conception of Indo- Pacific. This conception has now come mainstream and one of the main pillars of India- Japan ties.During his alternate term, Abe helped make the relationship further.

Having visited Japan several times as Chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi as PM chose Japan for his first bilateral visit outside the neighbourhood, in September 2014. Modi and Abe agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to “ Special Strategic and Global Partnership ”. The relationship grew and encompassed issues from mercenary nuclear energy to maritime security, pellet trains to quality structure, Act East policy to Indo- Pacific strategy.

When Modi went to Japan in 2014, the Indo- Japan nuclear deal was still uncertain, with Tokyo sensitive about a pact with anon-Nuclear-Proliferation-Treaty member country. Abe’s government induced theanti-nuclear jingoists in Japan to subscribe the agreement in 2016. The pact was crucial to India’s deals with US and French nuclear enterprises, which were moreover possessed by or had stakes in Japanese enterprises.

While the security agreement was in place since 2008, under Abe the two sides decided to have Foreign and Defence Ministers ’ Meeting( 2 2), and started accommodations on the Acquisition andCross-Servicing Agreement — a kind of military logistics support pact. In November 2019, the first Foreign and Defence Ministers ’ Meeting was held in New Delhi. A pact for transfer of defence outfit and technology was also inked in 2015, an uncommon agreement forpost-War Japan.

During Abe’s term, India and Japan came closer in the Indo- Pacific armature. Abe had spelt out his vision of the convergence of the Two Swell in his 2007 speech when the quadrangle was formed. It collapsed soon, but in October 2017, as Chinese aggression grew in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and India’s borders in Doklam, it was Abe’s Japan that really mooted the idea of reviving the quadrangle. In November 2017, it was revived as Indian, Japanese, Australia and US officers met in Manila on the sidelines of the East Asia peak.

While the security agreement was in place since 2008, under Abe the two sides decided to have Foreign and Defence Ministers ’ Meeting( 2 2), and started accommodations on the Acquisition andCross-Servicing Agreement — a kind of military logistics support pact. In November 2019, the first Foreign and Defence Ministers ’ Meeting was held in New Delhi. A pact for transfer of defence outfit and technology was also inked in 2015, an uncommon agreement forpost-War Japan.

During Abe’s term, India and Japan came closer in the Indo- Pacific armature. Abe had spelt out his vision of the convergence of the Two Swell in his 2007 speech when the quadrangle was formed. It collapsed soon, but in October 2017, as Chinese aggression grew in the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and India’s borders in Doklam, it was Abe’s Japan that really mooted the idea of reviving the quadrangle. In November 2017, it was revived as Indian, Japanese, Australia and US officers met in Manila on the sidelines of the East Asia peak.