Akie Abe

Akie Abe
Born	(1962-06-10) June 10, 1962 Japan
Occupation(s)	Radio personality, activist
Known for	Widow of Shinzo Abe, advocacy for LGBT rights

Akie Abe (, Abe Akie; born Matsuzaki; 10 June 1962) is a Japanese radio personality and the widow of Shinzo Abe, who held the position of Prime Minister of Japan during two periods: 2006–2007 and 2012–2020.

Early life

Akie was raised in an affluent household; her father served as the president of Morinaga & Company, a leading Japanese confectionery manufacturer. She completed her education at Sacred Heart School in Tokyo (Seishin Joshi Gakuin), a Roman Catholic private institution, and later graduated from Sacred Heart Professional Training College. Prior to her marriage to Shinzo Abe in 1987, she was employed by Dentsu Inc., recognized as the world’s largest advertising agency. The couple did not have children following unsuccessful fertility treatments and remained married until Shinzo's assassination on 8 July 2022.

In the late 1990s, Akie gained recognition as a radio disc jockey in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, her husband’s hometown, where she was known on air as "Akky".

Public life

After Shinzo Abe’s initial term as prime minister, Akie launched an organic izakaya located in Tokyo's Kanda area; however, she refrained from active management due to the influence of her mother-in-law. In March 2011, she obtained a master's degree in Social Design Studies from Rikkyo University.

Akie became notable for her candid opinions that frequently diverged from those of her husband, earning her the nickname "domestic opposition party." She is an advocate for sexual minorities and the LGBT community, participating in Tokyo’s gay pride parade in April 2014 to promote expanded LGBT rights within Japan. In 2015, she was seen endorsing efforts to revive cannabis culture in the country.

During Shinzo Abe’s administration, Akie established connections with the conservative Osaka-based Moritomo Gakuen kindergarten, where students were required to memorize the Imperial Rescript on Education. She was appointed honorary principal of Mizuho no Kuni, an elementary school under development by Moritomo Gakuen, but stepped down in February 2017 after it was revealed that the school acquired government land at just 14% of its assessed value. This controversy highlighted the intricate position of the prime minister's spouse, who, despite not holding civil service status, received support from five civil servants seconded from various government ministries, indicating quasi-public responsibilities.

Akie was a pioneer among spouses of Japanese prime ministers in actively engaging with social media, particularly Facebook and Instagram; however, she curtailed her online presence and modified her content strategy following the Moritomo Gakuen incident.

Following Shinzo Abe's assassination, Akie chose not to pursue his seat in the Yamaguchi 4th district, instead endorsing Shimonoseki city councilman Shinji Yoshida for candidacy. Yoshida succeeded in the April 2023 by-election, and by June, Akie assumed leadership as chairwoman of his koenkai.

In December 2024, Akie was among the initial foreign dignitaries to attend a private dinner with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Melania Trump at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.