The assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a year ago continues to cast a shadow on Japanese politics, with the 100-member faction he led—the largest in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party—still unable to choose a successor.

While Abe’s death should have given Prime Minister Fumio Kishida greater freedom, “Abe’s absence has made it difficult to keep the LDP together,” Research Director Sota Kato told the Straits Times, as evidenced by a feud within the LDP over funding a proposed increase in the defense budget to 2% of GDP.

Kishida would have discussed important policies and party decisions with Abe were he still alive, Kato added, saying, “Although Abe did not force Kishida to follow his opinions, Kishida knew that if he went against Abe’s intentions, his political foundations were in jeopardy.”

“A Year Later, Abe’s Assassination Continues to Impact Japan’s Politics,” Straits Times
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/a-year-later-abe-s-assassination-continues-to-impact-japan-s-politics

Profile of Research Director Sota Kato
https://www.tkfd.or.jp/en/experts/detail.php?id=29