TOKYO: Yoko Abe, mother of former Japanese Prime Minister ABE Shinzo and dubbed “God Mother” of the political world, died on Sunday. She was 95.

Yoko was born in Tokyo in June 1928 as the first daughter of former Prime Minister KISHI Nobusuke.

In 1951, she married then Mainichi Shimbun reporter Shintaro Abe, who later became a lawmaker of the House of Representatives and then served as foreign minister.

She had three children, including second son Shinzo.

After the death of Shintaro, Yoko supported political activities of Shinzo, who inherited his father’s Lower House constituency.

Her third son, Nobuo, was adopted into the Kishi family and later served as defense minister.

Yoko came to earn the nickname “God Mother” of the political world for supporting a famed political family for a long time.

Former Prime Minister SATO Eisaku was her uncle. Her first son, Hironobu, was former president of Mitsubishi Corporation Packaging Ltd.

JIJI Press