Super Mario, Trump buddy - remembering the Shinzo Abe era of Japan

TOKYO - Mr Shinzo Abe resigned on Wednesday as Japan's longest-serving prime minister, ending a tenure studded with headline-grabbing moments, from a turn as Super Mario to a controversial shrine visit that sparked regional anger.THE BROMANCE Mr Abe made building a close personal relationship with US President Donald Trump a cornerstone of protecting the key alliance.

And then there was their 2018 golf game, when Mr Abe tumbled backwards into a bunker and Mr Trump marched down the fairway seemingly oblivious.It was about the last thing anyone expected from Japan's straight-laced prime minister, but in 2016, Mr Abe decided to show his commitment to the Tokyo Olympics in rather unusual fashion - by appearing as video game icon Super Mario.

It was a far cry from the seriousness with which he controversially declared the stricken Fukushima power plant"under control" in 2013, two years after a nuclear meltdown, as he pitched for the Games. The new Reiwa era began in May 2019 and Emperor Naruhito formally ascended the Chrysanthemum throne in October, in a ceremony steeped in tradition and grandeur.

The shrine is seen by some in the region as a symbol of Tokyo's past militarism and Mr Abe's visit prompted outrage from China and South Korea and even a US rebuke.

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