WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy, and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo:
“We are shocked and horrified by the assassination of Abe Shinzo, and offer our deepest condolences to his family and the people of Japan.
“We will remember Mr. Abe for his leadership and as a constant friend of the United States. He was a transformational figure in Japan and played a crucial role in improving security in the Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister Abe was the first to lay out a vision for advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific, and through his own determination, helped create forums like the Quad so the United States, Japan, Australia, and India could work together to further this strategy. Despite his loss, we remain committed to these ideals. Japan is a steadfast ally, and we will continue to advance his vision.”