ABSTRACT
The final decade of the Heisei era was marked by the ousting of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from power (2009–12); China's GDP overtaking Japan's in 2010; the 3.11 tsunami devastation and nuclear disaster; Prime Minister Abe Shinzō's long tenure (2012–20); Tokyo 2020 Olympics’ setbacks; and the abdication of Emperor Akihito. Despite eight years in office, Abe's achievements were modest, while his signature policies on security, constitutional revision, nuclear energy, arms exports, history wars, and curbing transparency and freedom of expression did not resonate with the public. On his watch, the 3.11 disasters presented a number of policy challenges, partially overcome, and opportunities, mostly squandered. The bid for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics was pitched as the recovery Olympics, but the project lurched from crisis to scandal until postponement in 2020 due to the global pandemic.
