Shinzo Abe Dead Former Japanese Prime Minister Dies After Being Shot During Speech

The attack stunned the nation, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, and prompted tributes to the former prime minister from around the world. The 67-year-old collapsed bleeding at the scene in the Japanese city of Nara and was airlifted to a nearby hospital, but was later pronounced dead. Doctors said he suffered severe damage to his heart, along with two neck wounds that damaged an artery. Police at the scene of the shooting in Nara arrested Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, a former member of the Japanese navy, on suspicion of murder. Police said he used an apparently improvised weapon – about 15 inches (38 centimeters) long – and seized similar weapons and his personal computer when they raided his one-room apartment. Dramatic video from state broadcaster NHK shows Mr Abe standing and giving a speech outside a train station in Nara, western Japan, ahead of parliamentary elections on Sunday. As he raised his fist to make a point, two shots rang out and he collapsed clutching his chest, his shirt stained with blood as security guards ran towards him. The guards then jumped on the gunman, who was face down on the pavement, and a double-barreled gun was seen nearby. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida rushed back to Tokyo from campaign events after the shooting, which he described as “abhorrent and barbaric”. He pledged that the elections would be held as planned. Although he left office in 2020, Mr Abe still wielded a lot of influence in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, even though his ultra-nationalism made him divisive for many. Kenta Izumi, head of Japan’s main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, called it a “terrorist act” and said it “attempted to abolish freedom of speech … actually causing a situation where (Mr Abe’s) speech cannot be heard never again”. In Tokyo, people stopped on the street to pick up extra editions of newspapers or watch television coverage of the shooting. Flowers were placed on the filming scene in Nara. When he stepped down as prime minister, Mr. Abe blamed a recurrence of ulcerative colitis, which he had had since he was a teenager. He said at the time it was difficult to leave many of his goals unfinished, especially his failure to resolve the issue of Japanese abducted years ago by North Korea, a territorial dispute with Russia and the revision of Japan’s constitution that he renounced the war. This hyper-nationalism angered Korea and China, and his push to create what he saw as a more normal defense posture angered many Japanese. Mr Abe has failed to achieve his cherished goal of formally rewriting the pacifist US-drafted constitution due to insufficient public support. Tributes to Mr Abe poured in from world leaders, with many expressing shock and sadness. US President Joe Biden praised him for “his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will last. Above all, he cared deeply for the Japanese people and devoted his life to their service.” Biden, who is dealing with a summer of mass shootings in the US, also said that “gun violence always leaves a deep scar on the communities affected by it.” The queen said she was “deeply saddened”, adding: “I want to express my deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and the people of Japan at this difficult time.” Japan is particularly known for its strict gun laws. With a population of 125 million, it had only 10 gun-related crimes last year, resulting in one death and four injuries, according to police. Eight of those cases were gang-related. Tokyo had no gun incidents, injuries or deaths that year, although 61 guns were confiscated. Mr Abe was proud of his work to strengthen Japan’s security alliance with the US and make the first visit by a sitting US president to the atomic bombed city of Hiroshima. He also helped Tokyo win the right to host the 2020 Olympics by pledging that a disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant was “under control” when it was not. He became Japan’s youngest prime minister in 2006, aged 52, but his term ended abruptly a year later, also due to ill health. When he returned to office in 2012, Mr. Abe promised to revitalize the nation and pull its economy out of deflationary recession with the “Abenomics” formula, which combines fiscal stimulus, monetary easing and structural reforms. He won six national elections and built a firm grip on power, strengthening Japan’s defense role and capability and its security alliance with the US. It also strengthened patriotic education in schools and raised Japan’s international profile. Services contributed to this report

title: “Shinzo Abe Dead Former Japanese Prime Minister Dies After Being Shot During Speech " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-07” author: “Ashley Young”

The attack stunned the nation, which has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, and prompted tributes to the former prime minister from around the world. The 67-year-old collapsed bleeding at the scene in the Japanese city of Nara and was airlifted to a nearby hospital, but was later pronounced dead. Doctors said he suffered severe damage to his heart, along with two neck wounds that damaged an artery. Police at the scene of the shooting in Nara arrested Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, a former member of the Japanese navy, on suspicion of murder. Police said he used an apparently improvised weapon – about 15 inches (38 centimeters) long – and seized similar weapons and his personal computer when they raided his one-room apartment. Dramatic video from state broadcaster NHK shows Mr Abe standing and giving a speech outside a train station in Nara, western Japan, ahead of parliamentary elections on Sunday. As he raised his fist to make a point, two shots rang out and he collapsed clutching his chest, his shirt stained with blood as security guards ran towards him. The guards then jumped on the gunman, who was face down on the pavement, and a double-barreled gun was seen nearby. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida rushed back to Tokyo from campaign events after the shooting, which he described as “abhorrent and barbaric”. He pledged that the elections would be held as planned. Although he left office in 2020, Mr Abe still wielded a lot of influence in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, even though his ultra-nationalism made him divisive for many. Kenta Izumi, head of Japan’s main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, called it a “terrorist act” and said it “attempted to abolish freedom of speech … actually causing a situation where (Mr Abe’s) speech cannot be heard never again”. In Tokyo, people stopped on the street to pick up extra editions of newspapers or watch television coverage of the shooting. Flowers were placed on the filming scene in Nara. When he stepped down as prime minister, Mr. Abe blamed a recurrence of ulcerative colitis, which he had had since he was a teenager. He said at the time it was difficult to leave many of his goals unfinished, especially his failure to resolve the issue of Japanese abducted years ago by North Korea, a territorial dispute with Russia and the revision of Japan’s constitution that he renounced the war. This hyper-nationalism angered Korea and China, and his push to create what he saw as a more normal defense posture angered many Japanese. Mr Abe has failed to achieve his cherished goal of formally rewriting the pacifist US-drafted constitution due to insufficient public support. Tributes to Mr Abe poured in from world leaders, with many expressing shock and sadness. US President Joe Biden praised him for “his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will last. Above all, he cared deeply for the Japanese people and devoted his life to their service.” Biden, who is dealing with a summer of mass shootings in the US, also said that “gun violence always leaves a deep scar on the communities affected by it.” The queen said she was “deeply saddened”, adding: “I want to express my deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and the people of Japan at this difficult time.” Japan is particularly known for its strict gun laws. With a population of 125 million, it had only 10 gun-related crimes last year, resulting in one death and four injuries, according to police. Eight of those cases were gang-related. Tokyo had no gun incidents, injuries or deaths that year, although 61 guns were confiscated. Mr Abe was proud of his work to strengthen Japan’s security alliance with the US and make the first visit by a sitting US president to the atomic bombed city of Hiroshima. He also helped Tokyo win the right to host the 2020 Olympics by pledging that a disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant was “under control” when it was not. He became Japan’s youngest prime minister in 2006, aged 52, but his term ended abruptly a year later, also due to ill health. When he returned to office in 2012, Mr. Abe promised to revitalize the nation and pull its economy out of deflationary recession with the “Abenomics” formula, which combines fiscal stimulus, monetary easing and structural reforms. He won six national elections and built a firm grip on power, strengthening Japan’s defense role and capability and its security alliance with the US. It also strengthened patriotic education in schools and raised Japan’s international profile. Services contributed to this report