In Memoriam 2022: Shinzo Abe (1954–2022) Tribute List

Shinzo Abe, the longest-serving prime minister in Japan's history, was assassinated in daylight by a gunman who walked past security guards unobstructed. His funeral, as with his political legacy, was controversial due to Abe's corruption scandal record, cronyism, Unification Church affiliation, and cost and legal basis for the state funeral. Constructively, Abe helped build a cooperative security network in East Asia, supported the Global Economic Order, spearheaded Japan's 2020 Olympic host nation selection, and commemorated the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. Conversely, his nationalism and historical negationist efforts, especially concerning WWII war crimes and the "comfort women" atrocities, threatened Japanese pacifism and damaged relations with East Asian neighbors. This tribute list consists of international newspaper and magazine articles and speech quotes.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. confiscate
    take temporary possession of a security by legal authority
    Several other handmade weapons, similar to those used in the attack, had been confiscated after a search of the suspect's house, police officers told a news conference.
    – BBC
  2. apprehend
    take into police custody
    A Nara resident, Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, was apprehended moments after the shooting.
    – The New York Times
  3. assailant
    someone who attacks
    Only after firing a second shot was the assailant tackled and subdued.
    – The New York Times
  4. wield
    have and exercise
    After stepping down, he continued to wield influence as the head of the ruling party's largest faction.
    – NPR
  5. pacifist
    opposed to war
    Instead, many here believe one of Mr. Abe’s top priorities will likely be revising the pacifist Constitution, written by Japan’s postwar American occupiers, to permit the country to have full-fledged armed forces.
    – The New York Times
  6. emperor
    the male ruler of an empire
    Abe began in the mid-nineties, when there was an effort to really socially readdress Japan’s wartime role in Asia, after the death of Emperor Hirohito, in the wake of the first “comfort women” coming forward.
    – The New Yorker
  7. resignation
    the act of giving up, as a claim or office or possession
    News of the resignation, coming just before a parliamentary debate on the issue, took many analysts by surprise.
    – BBC
  8. emerging
    coming to maturity
    "So in conclusion, ladies and gentlemen, my task is to look toward the future, and make Japan the second biggest emerging market in the world, and the ever more trusted partner for the region and the world."
    – Shinzo Abe, Japan Is Back Speech
  9. consecutive
    one after the other
    Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday became Japan’s longest-serving leader in terms of consecutive days in office, but there was little fanfare, as he visited a hospital for another checkup amid concerns about his health.
    – AP News
  10. proactive
    causing something to happen rather than waiting to respond
    In power for much of the past decade, Abe pushed forward what he and his allies dubbed a "proactive" vision of Japan’s place in Asia and the world.
    – Washington Post
Created on Tue Dec 13 21:20:37 EST 2022 (updated Tue Jan 17 14:38:04 EST 2023)

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