30 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn’t Know About Shinzo Abe

Shinzō Abe, serving as Prime Minister of Japan and Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since 2012, is Japan's youngest post-war Prime Minister and the first to have been born after World War II. Here are some unknown facts about Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan:

1. Shinzo Abe was born on September 21, 1954, in Tokyo into the family of prominent politicians and Generals from the Imperial army.
2. He is the son of Shintaro Abe, a former foreign minister and grandson of former Prime Minister of Japan NobusukeKishi.
3. On September 26, 2006, Japan’s parliament elected Shinzo Abeas, the countries 57th prime minister. At the age of 52, he became the Japan’s youngest prime minister since World War II.
4. He completed his schooling at ‘Seikei Senior High School and later graduated with a degree in political science from Seikei University in 1977. He also spent some time in United States, pursuing public policy at the University of Southern California.
5. Abe was first elected into House of Representative in 1993, from first district of ‘Yamaguchi Prefecture. In 1999, he was appointed Director, Standing Committee on Health, Labour and Welfare and later took over the Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party.
6. In 2000, Abe’s was attacked with improvised firebomb on several occasion by the Kudo-kai crime syndicate after a local aid of Abe, refused to give cash in return for supporting a Shimonoseki mayoral candidate in 1999.
7. On September 17, 2002, Abe acted as the chief negotiator when then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited North Korea on behalf of the families of Japanese abductees taken to North Korea.
8. He opposed the policies of ‘excessive sexual education and gender-free education’ and also use of anatomical dolls, curricular materials without considering the age of children. He led a team within LDP, and carried out a survey.
9. On April 23, 2006, Abe was elected as the 21stpresident of the ruling ‘Liberal Democratic Party,’ and was sworn in as Japanese prime minister in September. The economy was the top issue for most of the Japanese and he appointed tax policy expert Koji Omi, as Minister of finance.
10. In 1997, Abe led the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform, and founded the ‘Institute of Junior Assembly Member Who Think About the Outlook of Japan and History Education.’
11. In January 2007, Abe upgraded the ‘Japan Defense Agency,’ with creation of a new ‘Defense Ministry,’ in response to a change in the security environment and also tomake Japan more assertive on the world stage.
12. On September 26, 2007, Abe resigned from the post of Prime Minister. He was compelled due to circumstances beginning withthe loss of LDP, in the upper house election and involvement of his agricultural ministers in financial scandal.He also had health issue as he was suffering with ‘ulcerative colitis.’
13. On September 26, 2012, he was sworn in for his second term as Prime Minister promising to implement bold monetary policy, flexible fiscal policy and growth strategy that encourages private investment.
14. In January 2013, in his speech to the Diet, he stressed the urgency of reviving and escaping deflation with his ‘three arrow’ policy,’ monetary policy, fiscal policy and growth strategy and structural reform policy often referred as ‘Abenomics.’
15. In an effort to liberalize Japan’s electricity market, he introduced a bill in the cabinet to abolish price control thus breaking up regional monopolies and separating power transmission from generation. This attracted more than 500 companies to enter into electricity retail market.
16. On his return to power, he prioritized education and population growth with creation of ‘Super Global University,’ a ten year program to increase international student attendance in Japanese Universities and ‘Marriage Support Programs’ with a hope of raising Japan’s declining birth rate.
17. In September 2013, Abe intervened to help Tokyo’s bid to host the ‘2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympics games.’ Abe was the star with his inspiring and confidence building speech to settle last minute nerves among IOC.
18. On July 08, 2014, Abe addressed a special joint sitting of Australian Federal Parliament in English. He reiterated his nation’s vow of peace made after World War II, with condolences to Australians killed in that conflict. It is only the third major speech the Japanese leader has delivered in English as Prime Minister.
19. On December 24, 2014, He was re-elected for his third term as Prime Minister and immediately faced hostage crises. After his announcement of $200 million aid to counter ‘Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant,’the terrorist executed two Japanese hostages.
20. On November 02, 2015, in a trilateral summit meeting with China and South Korea, he met Korea’s President Park Geun-hye and agreed to resolve the issue of ‘Comfort Women’ by agreeing to pay ¥ 1 billion into a fund to support the 46 surviving victims.
21. In December 2015, he announced the launch of International Counterterrorism intelligence Collection Unitto strengthen its capability in hosting international events of G-7 Summit, Rugby World Cup and the Olympics. In line with this effort Japan approved largest ever defense budget of ¥ 5.1 trillion.
22. On February 09, 2017, the Moritomo Gakuen School’ scandal was reported. The Finance ministry presented falsified document to the parliament with 14 passages implicating Abe was removed. The government of Japan sold 8,770 square metres of land to the school at 14% less the land’s estimated value. Abe’s wife Akie Abe was the honorary principal.
23. On December 26, 2013, when he visited the ‘Yasukuni Shrine,’ the first by a sitting prime minister since 2006, it created storm in the international circle with China, South Korea, Tiwan and United States voicing their disapproval.
24. In 2015, while announcing $ 1.6 billion in new assistance for the Syrians and Iraqis caught up in conflict in the Middle East, he refused to accept any more refugees with an agenda to improve the living standard of its own people. Japan accepted just 11 people out of 5000 applicants.
25. In 1987, Abe married Akie Matsuzaki, daughter of the president of Morinaga & Co., one of the largest confectionery companies. She is popularly known by her jockey name ‘Akky.’
26. On October 22, 2017, the Liberal Democratic Party retained their seats in the general election and Abe earned his fourth term in the office.
27. On September 20, 2018, when he was re-elected as the leader of LDP, he was on track to become Japan’s longest serving Prime Minister.
28. On November 22, 2012, the politicians were made a laughing stock when in the early morning show of Tokyo Broadcasting System accidentally displayed Abe’s photo alongside an NHK announcer’s arrest for sex offense.
29. In July 2006, he published a book titled ‘Becoming a Beautiful Country.’ Though it became best seller in Japan, Abe’s historical views were questioned by the noted academics and commentators.
30. Abe was rated by ‘Times Magazine’ as one of the ‘100 Most Influential People in the World,’ in 2014 and 2018. He was awarded honorary doctorate by both ‘Rangsit University’ of Thailand in March 2013 and by ‘Jawaharlal Nehru University ‘of India in December 2015.
31. Shinzo Abe Net Worth: $4.5 Billion