New Delhi: Quad leaders, including PM Narendra Modi, expressed shock in a joint statement at the tragic assassination of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe while lauding his formative role in the founding of the Quad partnership and his vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Abe was the chief architect of Japan’s free and open Indo-Pacific policy and also the leader who proposed and designed Quad. “We, the leaders of Australia, India, and the United States, are shocked at the tragic assassination of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe,” said US President Joe Biden, Australian PM Anthony Albanese and PM Modi in a joint statement, adding that Abe was a transformative leader for Japan and for Japanese relations with each one of the Quad countries.
Quad promises peace efforts
The Quad leaders in the joint statement said, “Our hearts are with the people of Japan - and PM Kishida - in this moment of grief. We will honour Abe’s memory by redoubling our work towards a peaceful and prosperous region.” Abe, the 67-year-old former Japanese PM, died after being shot while giving a campaign speech in the southern Japanese city of Nara last week.
PM Modi said, “In the passing away of Abe, Japan and the world have lost a great visionary. And, I have lost a dear friend.” In a blog titled “My Friend, Abe San”, Modi described Abe as “an outstanding leader of Japan, a towering global statesman, and a great champion of India-Japan friendship”.
