Upper house election in Japan

Upper house election in Japan

TOKYO, Japan - Former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, co-leader of the Japan Restoration Party, makes a stump speech in Tokyo's Yurakucho district on July 4, 2013, the day official campaigning started for the July 21 upper house election that will be a key test of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's leadership over the past seven months.

"Mongoose busters" to save island's endangered native species

"Mongoose busters" to save island's endangered native species

AMAMI, Japan - Shintaro Abe (R) and Masahiro Nishi examine a trap set in the mountains to capture mongooses on Amami-Oshima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, on March 21, 2013.

Japan general election

Japan general election

TOKYO, Japan - Combination photo shows (top column, from R to L) Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, president of the Democratic Party of Japan, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, president of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, Yukiko Kada, head of the Tomorrow Party of Japan, Natsuo Yamaguchi, head of the New Komeito party, (center column, from R to L) former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, head of the Japan Restoration Party, Kazuo Shii, head of the Japanese Communist Party, Yoshimi Watanabe, head of Your Party, Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party, (bottom column, from R to L) Kenko Matsuki, acting leader of the New Party Daichi, Shozaburo Jimi, head of the People's New Party, Yasuo Tanaka, head of the New Party Nippon, and Yoichi Masuzoe, head of the New Renaissance Party, while making stump speeches at various locations across the country on Dec. 4, 2012, as official campaigning kicked off the same day for the Dec. 16 general election.

Japan general election

Japan general election

TOKYO, Japan - Leaders of Japan's major political parties join hands before a debate at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo on Nov. 30, 2012, ahead of the Dec. 16, 2012, general election. From L are Shozaburo Jimi of the People's New Party, Mizuho Fukushima of the Social Democratic Party, Kazuo Shii of the Japanese Communist Party, Natsuo Yamaguchi of the New Komeito party, Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of the Democratic Party of Japan, Yukiko Kada of Nippon Mirai no To (Japan Future Party), Shintaro Ishihara of the Japan Restoration Party, Yoshimi Watanabe of Your Party, Muneo Suzuki of the New Party Daichi and Yoichi Masuzoe of the New Renaissance Party.

Japan general election

Japan general election

TOKYO, Japan - Leaders of some of Japan's major political parties join hands before a debate at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo on Nov. 30, 2012, ahead of the Dec. 16, 2012, general election. From L are Natsuo Yamaguchi of the New Komeito party, Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of the Democratic Party of Japan, Yukiko Kada of Nippon Mirai no To (Japan Future Party), Shintaro Ishihara of the Japan Restoration Party and Yoshimi Watanabe of Your Party.

Chinese State Councillor Tang calls on ex-premier Abe

Chinese State Councillor Tang calls on ex-premier Abe

TOKYO, Japan - Former Prime Minister Shintaro Abe (L) meets with Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan at a hotel in Tokyo on Feb. 22. Tang is visiting Japan as Chinese President Hu Jintao's special envoy to set the groundwork for Hu's visit to Japan in April.

Abe vows LDP presidential election bid before father's tomb

Abe vows LDP presidential election bid before father's tomb

NAGATO, Japan - Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe (L) pledges before his father's tomb in Yamaguchi Prefecture on Aug. 13 to achieve his father's unfulfilled ambition and become Japan's next prime minister. His father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, died in 1991. At right is Shinzo Abe's wife, Akie.

Abe experiences rice planting

Abe experiences rice planting

SUTAMA, Japan - Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shintaro Abe experiences rice planting in an agricultural promotion event held in the town of Sutama, Yamanashi Prefecture on June 8.

Farewell to author and former Tokyo Gov. Ishihara

Farewell to author and former Tokyo Gov. Ishihara

Photo taken on June 9, 2022, shows former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addressing a memorial gathering for author and former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara, who died in February at the age of 89, in Tokyo.

Chinese State Councillor Tang calls on ex-premier Abe

Chinese State Councillor Tang calls on ex-premier Abe

TOKYO, Japan - Former Prime Minister Shintaro Abe (L) meets with Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan at a hotel in Tokyo on Feb. 22. Tang is visiting Japan as Chinese President Hu Jintao's special envoy to set the groundwork for Hu's visit to Japan in April. (Kyodo)

Abe experiences rice planting

Abe experiences rice planting

SUTAMA, Japan - Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shintaro Abe experiences rice planting in an agricultural promotion event held in the town of Sutama, Yamanashi Prefecture on June 8. (Kyodo)

Abe visits father's grave

Abe visits father's grave

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offers prayers with his wife Akie in front of the grave of his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Aug. 14, 2015. Abe is set to issue a statement later in the day to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, with Asian neighbors closely watching whether he will apologize over Japan's wartime actions. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Abe visits father's grave

Abe visits father's grave

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe answers reporters' questions after visiting the grave of his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Aug. 14, 2015. Abe is set to issue a statement later in the day to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, with Asian neighbors closely watching whether he will apologize over Japan's wartime actions. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan PM Abe gets photos of father from S. Korea's foreign min.

Japan PM Abe gets photos of father from S. Korea's foreign min.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) is handed pictures of his late father and former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe by South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung Se (L) in Tokyo on June 22, 2015. The two nations marked the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties the same day. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Abe vows LDP presidential election bid before father's tomb

Abe vows LDP presidential election bid before father's tomb

NAGATO, Japan - Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe (L) pledges before his father's tomb in Yamaguchi Prefecture on Aug. 13 to achieve his father's unfulfilled ambition and become Japan's next prime minister. His father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, died in 1991. At right is Shinzo Abe's wife, Akie. (Kyodo)

Japan PM Abe visits father's grave

Japan PM Abe visits father's grave

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie (L) visit the grave of his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, on Aug. 13, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan PM Abe visits father's grave

Japan PM Abe visits father's grave

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie (L) visit the grave of his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, on Aug. 13, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan PM Abe visits father's grave

Japan PM Abe visits father's grave

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to reporters after visiting the grave of his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, on Aug. 13, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan PM Abe and his late father

Japan PM Abe and his late father

Combined photo shows Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) speaking during a parliamentary session in Tokyo on Jan. 30, 2019, and his late father and former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe in January 1985. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan PM Abe visit to father's grave

Japan PM Abe visit to father's grave

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) speaks to reporters after visiting the grave of his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Jan. 6, 2019. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan PM Abe visit to father's grave

Japan PM Abe visit to father's grave

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) visits the grave of his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Jan. 6, 2019, alongside his wife Akie (L). (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan PM Abe visit to father's grave

Japan PM Abe visit to father's grave

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) visits the grave of his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on Jan. 6, 2019, alongside his wife Akie (L). (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Mercari to go public

Mercari to go public

Japanese flea market app operator Mercari Inc. CEO Shintaro Yamada (L) in this photo taken Feb. 26, 2018, explains how to shop online using a smartphone to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) at the prime minister's office. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

PM Abe visits his constituency

PM Abe visits his constituency

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits the grave of his father, former Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe, in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in western Japan on Jan. 8, 2017. The premier's wife Akie can be seen in the back. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo