American scholars largely gave Prime Minister Shinzo Abe credit for his victory Thursday in the presidential election for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, acknowledging his stable stewardship over the past six years and the close relationships he has developed with U.S. President Donald Trump and other world leaders.

Nonetheless, they advise that Abe not risk expending the bulk of his political capital on his long-sought goal of amending the Constitution during what will be his last three years as prime minister and LDP president.

"Mr. Abe's greatest contribution has been to provide stable leadership and competent management, two things lacking in the U.S. today and in Japan prior to 2012," said Steven Vogel, a professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley.