Expressions of condolences poured in from around the world Friday following the shocking news of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination while campaigning for parliamentary elections. U.S. leaders praised Abe as a champion of democracy and supporter of the U.S.-Japan alliance; Hillary Clinton even characterized the conservative politician as a feminist.

It is no wonder Western allies mourned Abe’s death: As Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, Abe echoed like-minded alliance managers in Washington who wanted Japan to play a more forceful military role in East Asia. He is also widely credited as one of the founding architects of the Indo-Pacific strategy, aligning Japan more closely with the U.S. against China’s rise and acting as a fierce advocate for Taiwan.