Editor's note: Yan Zeyang is an assistant researcher at the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

On July 8, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed while giving a speech on the streets of Nara, Japan. Abe was Japan's longest-serving prime minister after WWII and considered one of the most influential politicians in the country. We can feel the influence from his signature policies of politics, security, diplomacy and economy.

Political legacy

Abe concentrated the powers of the prime minister in the country. In 2012, After returning to power, he had increased the powers for the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and insisted that the appointment and removal of personnel and policy decisions should be dominated by the LDP president. 

During the Abe era, more powers to appoint and remove new positions were added. Important positions such as the Director of the Liberal Democratic Party Public Affairs Department are appointed and led directly by the president of the LDP, not the director-general. The role of the deputy secretary-general under the original secretary-general has also changed, from the original agent of each faction to an intermediary for the central government to convey instructions to each faction.

Consequently, a political model in which Abe dominates the party and is dominated by his official residence has been formed. This provides a good foundation for Abe to pursue his own conservative policy propositions.

In terms of security, Japan's "normal power" and military rise had achieved major breakthroughs and developments. Less than a year after Abe returned to power, he led the passage of Japan's first National Security Strategy and new version of the National Defense Program Guidelines, which laid the backbone of security policy.

In terms of diplomacy since 2012, he has carried out diplomatic activities with a positive attitude. He promoted high-profile foreign policy concepts and slogans, such as "Looking across the globe with a bird's-eye view," "Proactive contributor to peace," "Free and open Indo-Pacific vision" and "Post-war diplomatic final accounts."

By the time Abe announced his resignation, he had visited 80 countries and regions, setting a record for any Japanese prime minister. In June 2016, Abe proposed the idea of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy" at the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), which showed that the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean region should be strategically coordinated as a whole geographic space. This became the prototype of Washington's "Indo-Pacific" strategy.

Additionally, Abe launched "Abenomics" to boost economic growth and to wipe out deflation in the country. Japan had witnessed its second-longest post-war economic recovery period of 71 months. His economic policies also had positive effects on Japan's stock prices, exchange rates, employment, and foreign economic and trade relations, but still many problems have remained.

Great influence

Japan's national strategy changed dramatically, causing a great impact on Japan's national trends, regional security situation and future development.

Tokyo's domestic has shifted to the right, while Japanese society has evolved from quantitative change to qualitative change.

Abe's policies have exacerbated regional security tensions. Negative reports such as the "China threat," which Tokyo has exaggerated to strengthen its own defense forces have damaged China's image and reputation in the region and the world, as well as harming regional security.

Abenomics has left hidden dangers for the long-term development of the Japanese economy, such as compounding public debt problems and ultra-loose monetary policy. By October 2018, the second-longest post-war economic boom that paid a huge policy price has ended, and the old "three arrows" (integration of fiscal stimulus, loose money and structural reforms) have nearly exhausted monetary and fiscal policies.

What's more serious is that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bank of Japan can only adopt a stronger easing policy, pushing it further away from the "exit window" of the abnormal ultra-loose monetary policy.

Therefore, Abe's assassination will have a tremendous impact on Japan's future policy direction. Tokyo's political forces may face a reshuffle, and the current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may gain more flexibility in policies such as foreign affairs and security, and whether "Abenomics" will be significantly revised will also confront a test. With the conclusion of Japan's upper house elections, we all should pay much closer attention to Japan's future.

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