In rare gesture, joint Quad statement on Shinzo Abe's death

New Delhi, July 9

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In a rare joint condolence statement by three countries, the leaders of Australia, India and the US together expressed shock at the assassination of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.

The joint statement signed by leaders of three of the four Quad members — US President Joe Biden, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese—resolved that they would honour Abe’s memory by “redoubling our work towards a peaceful and prosperous region”. The statement hailed Abe as a transformative leader for Japan and for Japanese relations with “each one of our countries”.

Faced with China’s military rise, Abe had mooted the idea of confluence of democracies from the east and the west to maintain the balance of power in the Asia Pacific region. Later, he piloted the concept into what is now known as the Quad. He also played a formative role in the founding of the Quad partnership and worked tirelessly to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, noted the three leaders. “Our hearts are with the people of Japan—and Prime Minister Kishida—in this moment of grief,” they said.