Dear Editor,
It was a great shock to read that former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated by a disgruntled man. That he was murdered by a gun in a country known for tranquil peace is unbelievable. Abe worked very hard to boost bilateral relations with other countries including Russia, which deteriorated after the Ukraine war. Abe supported peaceful efforts to resolve conflicts. And he was supportive of democratic principles although I can’t remember whether Japan made statements on Guyana’s attempted electoral fraud of March 2020.
Abe walked away from political power at the height of his political popularity. Abe positioned Japan as a responsible developed nation. He did not venture into war although he supported peace making missions in Africa.
Abe’s economic reforms are a significant feature of his unparalleled legacy. Abe’s policies turned around Japan’s economy from recession into the robust position it now occupies among developed countries. He was generous in foreign grants – assisting African and Latin-Caribbean countries including Guyana.
It is hoped that His legacy will live on and that Japan will continue to be generous in its grants to countries like Guyana.
Yours sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram