Speaking of Asia Podcast: Asia without Shinzo Abe

A photo of Japan’s former PM Shinzo Abe at the Japan Creative Centre on July 12, 2022 at the opening of a book of condolences. PHOTO: ST FILE

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times’ associate editor & Senior Asia columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distils his experience from four decades of covering the continent.

In this podcast, which comes a year after the assassination of Mr Shinzo Abe, he discusses the impact that Mr Abe left on his country and the wider region. with Professor Tomohiko Taniguchi of Keio University, who was special adviser to Prime Minister Abe’s Cabinet.

Prof Taniguchi was also Mr Abe’s foreign policy speechwriter for a full 90 months.

Highlights (click/tap above):

4:10 “I feel Abe is still alive”; On the father of ‘Indo Pacific’, Quad

7:16 How Abe wooed South-east Asia

9:15 “Xi Jinping would not have joined the Communist Party of USA”

13:24 Childless Abe gave hope to young Japanese

16:40 His most significant speeches: India, Australia, US

18:00 Soft corner for India; “Abe and Modi were soul-mates”; could Japan backtrack on Abe’s initiatives?

Produced by: Ravi Velloor (velloor@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Teo Tong Kai and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Teo Tong Kai and Fa’izah Sani

Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month on our Asian Insider Podcast channel here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/wQsB

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Ravi Velloor’s columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Ravi Velloor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore’s War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.