Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Net Worth When He Died
Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, an ultra-nationalist, was assassinated on July 8. He leaves behind an approximate $10 million net worth.
July 8 2022, Published 10:35 a.m. ET
Shinzo Abe, the longest-serving former prime minister of Japan, was assassinated in Nara on July 8. Abe served as prime minister in 2006 and 2007, then again from 2012 until 2020. He was speaking at a parliamentary campaign rally in southwestern Japan when he was shot. What was Abe’s net worth upon his death?
Shinzo Abe, or Abe Shinzo
Former prime minister of Japan
Net worth: $10 million
Shinzo Abe, or Abe Shinzo as it would be phrased in Japan, was a long-serving prime minister for the nation. He was the prime minister and president of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020. He worked to expand the Japanese military, amend immigration policy, and reform the economy through what was called “Abenomics.” Abe was assassinated on July 8, 2022.
Birthdate: Sept. 21, 1954
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Political party: Liberal Democratic
Spouse: Akie Matsuzaki
Education: BA from Seikei University
Shinzo Abe was worth approximately $10 million prior to his death
According to CelebrityNetWorth and other online sources, Abe had a net worth of about $10 million in 2022. Marca.com estimated his recent annual income to be $1 million, though it’s unclear how many years he may have earned that sum. (In 2011, the then-prime minister earned a reported $20,200 monthly, so it can be assumed that Abe earned a similar salary.)
News of Shinzo Abe's death spread around the globe on July 8.
Shinzo Abe was assassinated at a campaign rally
The former prime minister resigned in 2020, citing health issues. He was speaking at a parliamentary campaign rally on July 8 when shots rang out. Damage to his heart and neck caused excessive bleeding, and he died of his injuries.
Japan is considered to have some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, making the attack even more shocking. Current Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida said, "It is barbaric and malicious and cannot be tolerated."
World leaders paid tribute to the slain Japanese politician
Around the world, condolences from heads of nations poured in following the news of Abe’s death. Joe Biden released a public statement, saying, “This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him…He was a champion of the Alliance between our nations and the friendship between our people.” Antony Blinken, U.S. secretary of state, said Abe’s death is “profoundly disturbing.”
Russian president Vladimir Putin praised the former Japanese prime minister as an “outstanding statesman,” and former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott called Abe Japan’s “most significant post-war leader.” Indian prime minister Narendra Modi declared July 9 to be a national day of mourning in India.
Shinzo Abe was described as an ultra-nationalist
In achieving his large goal of revising the nation’s pacifist, post-World War 2 constitution, Abe was unsuccessful, reports NPR. His proposed constitutional revisions would have strengthened emergency powers of the government while “downplaying the role of human rights.”
The former prime minister was also highly critical of China. He urged U.S. leaders to assure Taiwan of its assistance in the event of an attack by China. Abe had indicated that a “Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency,” meaning that Japan would likely be pulled into any conflict between China and Taiwan.