In the wake of the Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito ruling bloc victory in the Upper House election in July, Shinzo Abe appears set to eclipse Yasuhiro Nakasone this year as the fourth-longest-serving prime minister in postwar Japan.

But as many point out, the issue is not how long Abe has been in power but what he has done for peace and prosperity in Japan and other parts of the world, particularly in Asia. China is pressing territorial claims in the South and East China seas, North Korea is stepping up nuclear weapons development, and South Korea is politically at odds with Japan and economically dependent on China — all pressing issues for Abe and his administration.

George Washington University professor Henry Nau wonders if Abe will match Nakasone, who built close ties with U.S. President Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during his prime ministership from 1982 to 1987, in terms of diplomatic skill and the scope of his strategic vision.