Around 6:15 pm local time (10:15 am in Rome), Pope Francis arrived at Soridiajin Kantei to meet with the Prime Minister of Japan.
The governmental complex of Kantei, a name that indicates generically Japan’s executive power, is the area where offices are located as well as the Prime Minister’s residence. The same name is used to refer to the building that houses the areas representing the head of government and the room where the Cabinet meets.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed the Holy Father on his arrival in Kantei. They then met privately in the “Special Guest” room where they also exchanged gifts.
At the end of the meeting, the Holy Father and the Prime Minister went to the Hall to meet with the Authorities and members of Japan’s Diplomatic Corps.
Shinzo Abe
Born in Tokyo in 1954, he studied in the Department of Political Sciences of the Faculty of Law of the University of Seikei. He graduated in 1977.
In 1979 he began to work in the Kobe Steel Group until 1982 when he began his political career.
Political Trajectory
Shinzo Abe worked as Secretary to the Foreign Affairs Minister (1982); Deputy Secretary of the second Cabinet in the Mori Administration (2000); Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party (2004); head of the third Cabinet of the Koizumi Administration (2005); and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (2006).
He was elected Prime Minister of Japan for the first time on September 26, 2006, and re-elected in 2012. He is married to Akie Matsuzaki and has no children.
