 Upon his father's death in 1826, his elder brother Masayasu became "daimyō" of Fukuyama; Abe was moved to the domain's "naka-yashiki" ("middle residence") in Hongō, Edo (modern-day Bunkyō, Tokyo).However, in 1836, Masayasu adopted his brother as heir.Abe became clan leader and "daimyō" of Fukuyama upon his brother's retirement in on December 25, 1836.