Abe awarded Australia's highest honor for service to bilateral ties

That’s a mistake!

Australia......WTF.

He only wanted to brown nose you in case China attacked his country.

Bit late…

Mr. Abe regardless of his views served his nation twice and won the support of his party, the general public, and many leaders from around the world, something NOT many leaders earn or get without going into names!! Like it or not he will go down in Japans history as one of the longest serving PM and that is an achievement in it self.

Shinzo Abe had and still has many disapprovers within Japan, of both his politics and scandals typical of Japanese politicians. And he was a prime target of anti-JP sentiment in China and the Koreas. But his approval rating among foreign democratic nations was and remains very high, improving both US/JPN and AUST/JPN relations among others. It's up to Australia to decide to whom they wish to bestow this honor. Nobody else.

China must hate Abe to the extreme, as he came up with the concept of "a free and open Indo-Pacific" in 2015 which was adopted by the US State Department in 2016 and has evolved into the QUAD.

I see that Australia’s done lost their minds.

So nice of Her Majesty's representative in Australia to announce the award for Abe. I'm not sure what else Governor-Generals do these days. I imagine that Australian PM will be at the state funeral.

Proud Aussie reading this. That’s what dignity looks like mate!

I see nothing wrong with this award now to be awarded posthumously. It may be the Abe had more respect in other nations than at home, or that those against Abe in Japan are simply a very vocal minority. Either way it is an Australian honor and perhaps the first given to a Japanese politician since WWII by Australia. That in itself says much for the high esteem he earned in dealing with Australia.

Say what you may about Abe and his domestic policies, he represented Japan well in the international arena and built up Japan's good will and reputation stocks with many nations.

It is a sad thing that his life was ended prematurely by a misguided individual as he could have continued working in the background on international relationships to boost Japan's standing.

That’s a mistake!

amen!

Australia......WTF.

my sentiments exactly!

I see that Australia’s done lost their minds.

Yep!

Proud Aussie reading this. That’s what dignity looks like mate!

You're like a brother to me Rick. Respectfully disagree, but cheers to you brother if it made you happy.

Aly It did mate and yes we will respectfully disagree on this one. Dude was shot in the back helping out a junior member in a tight race. That’s all I need to hear. The rest is just the usual noise from the usual haters. Not my cup of tea old chap. Not a good look. We do what we do though, so do it well!