Japan’s longest-serving leader and former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has died after being shot at a political campaign event in the city of Nara.
Abe served as prime minister from 2006 to 2007 before stepping down due to illness. He was re-elected in 2012 and served until 2020. Famous for bringing his economic policies, called Abenomics, that had three arrows of monetary, fiscal and structural reform, Abe and former President Obama were the leaders and drivers of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), that later became the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CP-TPP).
Japan is a longtime market for U.S corn, sorghum, barley, ethanol and co-products.
U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Ryan LeGrand issued the following statement:
“Our hearts go out to Japan at this critical time, and we are sorry for such a great loss. Prime Minister Abe was a leader in many ways, including growing trade between the U.S. and Japan. He continued the long, close friendship between the U.S. and Japan that goes back even farther than the opening of the then U.S. Feed Grains Council’s first international office in Tokyo in 1961. We are saddened today for our friends, partners and the people of Japan.”
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About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.