It is with tremendous sadness and alarm that a senseless act of political violence claimed the life of former prime minister Shinzo Abe on July 8 while he was speaking at a political campaign event for the Liberal Democratic Party in the city of Nara in western Japan. We join the Japanese people in mourning their loss, and send our condolences to the Abe family.    

Abe was the longest serving prime minister in Japanese history, and emerged on the global stage as a trusted and respected leader, dedicated to peace and economic prosperity.   

He was determined that Japan would be a good neighbor in a secure neighborhood. His accomplishments were manifold, and his name will be associated with an era—the "Abe Era”—a rare accomplishment in Japanese politics. 

We recall fondly that the prime minister visited MIT in April 2015 as part of a weeklong trip to the United States. He and MIT faculty participated in a stimulating roundtable discussion of innovation strategies during his stop at the Institute. In conjunction with Abe’s visit, the government of Japan announced a new gift to MIT that supports student and faculty research in Japanese politics and diplomacy here at the Center for International Studies (CIS). We admired his vision, and remain grateful for his generous support of our work.  

—Richard Samuels, Ford International Professor of Political Science and director of CIS