ABSTRACT
On diplomatic and security policies, Abe singled out the enactment of the Peace and Security Legislation (security-related laws), which paved the way for Japan’s limited exercise of the right to collective self-defense and, according to the prime minister, helped solidify Japan’s alliance with the United States, as well as efforts to create free and fair economic blocs. One of backgrounds that explain why Abe, in his second stint as prime minister, managed to lead an exceptionally long-term and stable administration— a rarity in history of Japanese politics—is a series of political reforms carried out since 1994. The most symbolic “Abe color” policy of this period was the enactment of the Peace and Security Legislation. Around that time, Abe also released a statement on the 70th anniversary of end of World War II. The major factor was Prime Minister Abe’s political realism—his posture of looking squarely at reality, acknowledging its variability, and trying to realize his own ideas step by step.
