Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was killed by a bullet, revealed his dream of becoming an izakaya owner, as revealed by the owner of a bar he frequented.

Last Updated on 07/10/2022 by てんしょく飯

Two days have passed since former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was killed by a bullet during a speech in Nara Prefecture on July 8. The aftermath of the incident that shook all of Japan is far from over. Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, a former Maritime Self-Defense Force member who was caught red-handed on suspicion of murder, is said to have stated that he tried to target members of a religious group but found it difficult, so he targeted former Prime Minister Abe. A person who knew Mr. Abe well revealed a “surprisingly true” side of him before his death.

A mama of a bar near Nagatacho, where many politicians gather, told us, “That was the first Abe Cabinet.

It was around the end of the first Abe Cabinet, when Mr. Abe was working as a member of the Diet. His wife Akie went to Cambodia and opened her own izakaya (Japanese-style pub), UZU, and she was more talked about than Abe himself.

When I made a casual remark to Mr. Abe, who was drinking in private, that he should come back to the prime minister’s office, he smiled and said, “No, I think I will become a tavern owner when the time comes. He smiled and said, “No, I think I’ll become a tavern owner when the time comes, or I’ll help my wife with her store.

Of course, he may have been paying lip service, but at that time he had a much gentler expression on his face, which was different from the powerful atmosphere he has had in recent years. I felt the gentle yet strong bond between the couple. Perhaps he really had a dream of helping out at Akie-san’s restaurant or becoming a “tavern owner” after he retired from politics.

After the first Abe cabinet left office in 2007, Abe said in an interview that he had kept a notebook of his own reflecting on those days and his thoughts so that he would not forget the setback. It was Mrs. Akie who stood by him during those discouraging days.

Currently, Mr. Abe’s body has returned to his home in Tomigaya, Tokyo, where it is said to be laid to rest in a room. Mrs. Akie is said to be standing by his side all the time.