Abe Iso

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Iso Abe (安部磯雄, Abe Isō^?, 4 February 1865 — 10 February 1949) was a well known Japanese Christian socialist.

Abe was born in Fukuoka, and studied at Doshisha University and abroad, including at the University of Berlin, before becoming a Unitarian preacher. He taught at the University of Tokyo from 1899. In 1901 he helped to found the short-lived Japanese Social-Democratic party, which the government swiftly prohibited.

During the Russo-Japanese War he advocated non-cooperation and participated in various early feminist movements. In 1906, he played an instrumental role in founding the first Japanese Socialist Party, from which he advocated a Christian Socialist viewpoint. However, the government outlawed this party too in 1907. In 1924 he became the first President of the Japanese Fabian Society. In 1928 voters elected Iso to the Japanese Diet, where he held a seat for four consecutive elections. In 1932, he became a chairman of Shakaitaishuto. He withdrew from politics in 1940.