Japan’s first IRs to become standing legacy of assassinated former PM Shinzo Abe
On Friday 8 July 2022, former prime minister of Japan Shinzo Abe was shot and killed on the campaign trail as he advocated for his party for the 10 July upper house elections. He was 67 years old.
Abe most recently held office for 2,822 consecutive days. When combined with his first stint, he was prime Minister for a total of 3,188 days, making him the longest serving of all 64 prime ministers in Japan’s history.
And while his impact was wide-reaching, among his major accomplishments was making long-stalled casino legislation a reality. It is tragically ironic that Abe will not be here to see his efforts made official with the national government expected to announce in just two short months whether Osaka and/or Nagasaki will be granted Japan’s first IR development licenses.
It was Abe who both bidding parties can thank should they ultimately prove successful.