Takaichi Taps Abe’s Legacy as She Pushes Japan’s Rightward Shift

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is turning to the political legacy of Shinzo Abe as she tries to build support for an agenda that could move Japan further to the right on defense and the economy, according to The New York Times. The approach underscores how strongly Abe’s influence still shapes Japanese politics, even years after his death. Takaichi’s use of Abe’s name is more than personal tribute. It signals continuity with one of the most consequential and polarizing figures in modern Japanese politics, and it may help her appeal to conservatives who view Abe’s agenda as unfinished. At the same time, it risks sharpening debate at home over how far Japan should go in expanding its military role and revising the balance between growth, spending and stability. Abe was known for his assertive leadership, his push to strengthen Japan’s defense posture and his effort to revive the economy through a mix of policy tools that became widely known as Abenomics. Takaichi appears to be drawing from that political brand as she advances her own priorities. The Times reports that she is leveraging her ties to Abe while seeking to reshape defense and the economy, placing her squarely in a line of succession that conservative voters recognize. For readers in Japan, the stakes are practical as well as ideological. Any shift in defense policy can affect how the country responds to regional security pressures, alliances and military spending. Economic changes can touch inflation, wages, public finances and business confidence. Even when leaders frame such moves as necessary modernization, they often trigger scrutiny over cost, constitutional limits and whether Japan is drifting away from its postwar restraint. What is not yet clear from the available report is how far Takaichi plans to go, what specific measures she intends to prioritize, or how much support she can count on inside her party and among the public. The extent of her room to maneuver may depend on political timing, parliamentary arithmetic and whether her push for change is seen as pragmatic management or a deliberate ideological turn. Still, the broader picture is clear: Abe remains a powerful symbol in Japanese politics, and Takaichi is using that symbolism to give her agenda legitimacy. That could help her consolidate support among nationalist and conservative voters, but it also sets up a test of whether Abe’s legacy still has the ability to move policy in a changing Japan. The story matters beyond party politics because it speaks to a larger question facing many advanced democracies: whether a leader can use the memory of a predecessor to rally support for a new governing direction, and whether voters will accept that continuity as strength or see it as a warning sign. In Japan, where security concerns and economic pressures are both intensifying, the answer could shape the country’s next chapter.

Source: New York Times World - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/world/asia/japan-sanae-takaichi-shinzo-abe.html