Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after suffering two gunshot wounds to the neck during a parliamentary elections campaign in the southern city of Nara, about 484 kilometers from Tokyo.
The assault took place during his supportive speech for the Liberal Democratic Party, of which he was a member while serving as PM. Shinzo Abe dropped to the ground upon the attack, and was quickly airlifted to the hospital in western Japan. The operating surgeon said Abe arrived in a critical condition without a heartbeat, and attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. After multiple blood transfusions, he was pronounced dead at the age of 67.
A 41 year old suspect by the name of Tsetsuya Yamagami was tackled and detained by the police and is now in law enforcement’s custody. According to the police, the shooter admitted to this abominable act of gun violence, and expressed his hatred towards a “specific organization”.
The gunman allegedly began preparations for this day back in April, and has built multiple weapons from the comfort of his home. He had previously served in the Japanese navy for some years and is believed to have honed his skills then. The police confiscated additional handmade weapons and bombs during a search at his residence to acquire more information regarding the event.
Yamagami made no attempts to flee the scene after completing his deed and BBC reports state that witnesses “saw a man carrying what they described as a large gun fire twice at the former PM from behind. Abe fell to the ground as bystanders screamed in shock and disbelief.”
In a photo published by Reuters, Yamagami can be seen standing behind the former prime minister, wearing a gray T-shirt, cargo pants, and a black backpack. Granting Mr. Abe’s security details, Yamagami successfully avoided strict security checks and was in close range to Mr. Abe before unloading his handmade gun.
Japan’s current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has publicly condemned the murder during a press conference stating, “this is undoubtedly a barbaric act, that took place in the midst of an election. This is the basis of a democracy and is absolutely unforgivable. I would like to use the harshest words to condemn this act.”
The people of Japan are in shock following today’s events. The country ranks as one of the safest in the world as gun violence is rare, and handguns are banned.
As the youngest elected prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe was 52 when he took office back in 2006. A year later, he stepped down from the role due to party scandals and health conditions, but resumed the position once again in 2012 to revive Japan’s deflating economy. He introduced his Abenomics strategic economic plans during his 2012 campaign. During his time as PM, he sought to increase Japan’s defense budget to strengthen the military following years of pacifism. His time as prime minister ended in 2020. He was the longest serving premier.
Very good article! It is really a barbaric act and we all are in shock!
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