He was the captain of Japanese national team in 2013 WBC, and hit 2 home runs in the same inning against the Netherlands, becoming the first and only player to achieve such a feat in the history of the WBC.
With 406 career home runs, Abe ranks 18th on the NPB career list.
On September 24, 2019, Abe announced he would retire after the 2019 season, his 19th in NPB.[1]
As a coach
Abe was named the manager of the Giants' second squad for the 2020 season.
On October 4, 2023, Abe was named the Tatsunori Hara's successor as manager for the main club, after Hara announced his intention to step down.[2]