The Passing of Former Prime Minister of Japan Abe Shinzo

WITH HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES

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All members and friends of the Vietnamese Association in Japan were stunned with grief upon learning that Mr. Abe Shinzo, Member of the National Diet and former Prime Minister of Japan, was assassinated on the afternoon of 8 July 2022 while campaigning before voters in Nara Prefecture.

On behalf of the Association, we extend our deepest condolences from the bottom of our hearts to the bereaved family, to the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, and to the Government and people of Japan.

The inhuman act of the assassin in the midst of an election campaign is also an attack on the very foundations of democracy. We strongly condemn it, and we therefore call for the suspect to be brought to justice as the law requires. We also pray that the House of Councillors election on Sunday, 10 July may overcome every storm and proceed safely and stably, helping to lay a firm legislative foundation for Japan’s democratic institutions.

Abenomics — when its results are weighed from many angles — is regarded as one of Mr. Abe Shinzo’s important achievements, helping to turn around the pessimistic outlook and the stagnant, negative mood that hung over the Japanese economy at the time. Vietnamese people living and working in Japan have benefited from those bold reform policies. After stepping down as Prime Minister, he continued to contribute as a strategic policy thinker, especially in the fields of geopolitics and national security.

The passing of Mr. Abe Shinzo is an enormous loss not only for Japan but for the bloc of democratic nations as a whole. We sincerely pray that Japan will soon overcome this great loss, continue to develop in strength, and remain an advanced country that serves as a model for its friends and partners.

WE BOW OUR HEADS IN RESPECTFUL FAREWELL

President, Vietnamese Association in Japan

Nguyen Phuong Khanh