Hamaguchi Osachi vs Martin Torrijos

Hamaguchi's government lifted the gold embargo and returned Japan to the gold standard in January 1930. This policy was intended to stabilize the yen and promote trade but exacerbated the effects of the Great Depression, causing severe deflation and economic hardship.

On November 14, 1930, Prime Minister Hamaguchi Osachi was shot at Tokyo Station by right-wing extremist Sagoya Tomeo. The attack was motivated by opposition to Hamaguchi's support for the London Naval Treaty, which limited Japanese naval power.

Hamaguchi's government ratified the London Naval Treaty, which extended the Washington Naval Treaty's limitations on capital ships to cruisers, destroyers, and submarines. The treaty was opposed by the Japanese Navy and ultranationalists, who saw it as a capitulation to Western powers.

Hamaguchi Osachi died on August 26, 1931, from complications of the gunshot wound he sustained in the 1930 assassination attempt. His death removed a moderate voice from Japanese politics and contributed to the rise of militarism.

Martin Torrijos, son of former military leader Omar Torrijos, won the 2004 presidential election as the candidate of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD). His victory marked the return of the PRD to power after a decade out of office.

Torrijos's presidency was marked by economic growth, social reforms, and the initiation of the canal expansion. He also pursued anti-corruption measures and improved relations with the United States. He left office with relatively high approval ratings.

Torrijos proposed and secured approval for a major expansion of the Panama Canal through a national referendum in 2006. The project aimed to build a third set of locks to accommodate larger ships, significantly increasing the canal's capacity and economic impact.