Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died after being shot on Friday morning while delivering a campaign speech for the upcoming national election. He was shot in the back minutes after he began his speech in Nara in western Japan. He was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment, but he was not breathing and his heart had stopped. The hospital that tried to save him said he died at 5.03pm, about five and a half hours after he was shot. A doctor said Mr. Abe was bleeding to death from two deep wounds, one on the right side of his neck. He had no vital signs when he was brought in. In an address to the nation earlier, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the shooting as inexcusable, calling it a “heinous and barbaric” act. Police have arrested a 41-year-old man who is considered a suspect in the attack. He was identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, a resident of Nara, who was a former member of the naval self-defense force, Fuji TV reported. He reportedly told police he was unhappy with Japan’s former prime minister and intended to kill him.
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Japan’s former powerful prime minister leaves a divided legacy
(Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images)
Shinzo Abe was a blue-blooded politician groomed for power. Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, he was also perhaps the most polarizing, complex politician in recent Japanese history. Abe has angered both liberals at home and victims of World War II in Asia with his aggressive push to revamp the military and his revisionist view that Japan has received an unfair verdict from history for its brutal past. At the same time, he revitalized Japan’s economy, led efforts to give the nation a stronger role in Asia and served as a rare beacon of political stability before stepping down two years ago for health reasons. “He is the most powerful political figure in Japan in the last two decades,” said Dave Leheny, a political scientist at Waseda University. “He wanted Japan to be respected on the world stage in the way he felt it deserved. . . . He also wanted Japan not to have to continue apologizing for World War II.” Abe believed that Japan’s post-war record of economic success, peace and global cooperation was something that “other countries should pay more attention to and the Japanese people should be proud of,” he said. Leheny. Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 4:02 p.m 1657291321
The killing comes as a surprise in Japan – a country where gun violence is rare
(Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images)
The killing of Shinzo Abe has shocked and saddened people in a country where firearms are strictly regulated and political violence is extremely rare. From Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, an Abe protégé, to ordinary people on social media, there was an outpouring of grief. The last time a former or sitting prime minister was killed was almost 90 years ago. “I am incredibly shocked,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said at a regular news conference after the shooting and before Abe’s death was announced, fighting back tears and sniffling audibly. “Regardless of the reason, such a heinous act is completely inexcusable. It is an insult to democracy.” Koki Tanaka, a 26-year-old IT worker in central Tokyo, expressed a similar view: “I was just amazed that this could happen in Japan.” Newspapers produced special editions and Japanese television repeatedly broadcast footage of the shooting, showing Abe speaking forcefully into a handheld microphone surrounded by political banners until one shot rang out, followed by another. Japan’s gun ownership restrictions do not allow private individuals to own guns, and licensed hunters can only own rifles. Gun owners must take classes, pass a written test and undergo a mental health evaluation and background check. Shootings, when they do occur, usually involve “yakuza” gangsters using illegal weapons. In 2021, there were 10 shootings, eight involving gangsters, according to police data. One person was killed and four were injured. Chiara Giordano 8 July 2022 15:42 1657290174
Brazil’s Bolsonaro orders three days of mourning for Shinzo Abe
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has expressed “outrage and sadness” over the killing of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and said he has ordered three days of national mourning in Brazil. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving leader, died on Friday, hours after he was shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election in the western city of Nara. Bolsonaro called Abe, who was 67, “a brilliant leader and a great friend of Brazil” while sharing a photo alongside him on Twitter and urged “such unwarranted cruelty” to be severely punished. The Brazilian president met with Abe several times as he attended the G-20 summit in Osaka months after taking office in 2019 and traveled back to Japan for an official visit later that year. “We stand with Japan,” Bolsonaro said. Brazil is home to the largest Japanese population in the world outside of Japan. (Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 3:22 p.m 1657287984
The killing raises questions about Japan’s VIP security
The fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at point-blank range at a political rally has raised questions about the protection of high-profile figures in a country where political violence and gun crime are extremely rare. Politicians in Japan often travel with fairly light security compared to their peers in the United States and other countries that have higher rates of violent crime. Abe, 67, was campaigning in the western city of Nara for Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) candidates ahead of Sunday’s election when he was shot, with Nippon TV saying the gunman was about 3 meters (10 feet) away. . Police arrested a 41-year-old suspect and later said the shooting was carried out with an improvised weapon and the suspect had admitted to the act. An official from the Nara Prefectural Police Department told reporters that the department will review whether security at the event was adequate and take appropriate measures. More weapons were found at the suspect’s home, the official said. Nippon Television quoted Nara police as saying that Abe was protected at today’s rally by an armed specialist police officer who traveled from Tokyo and some other local officers. When he was shot, Abe was standing at an intersection outside a train station, addressing a crowd of hundreds as buses and trucks passed behind his exposed back on the street where the gunman appeared. Several commentators said security around the former prime minister should have been stronger. “Anyone could have hit him from that distance,” Masazumi Nakajima, a former Japanese police detective, told Japan’s TBS television. “I think the security was a little too lax.” “The person must be covered from all directions,” Koichi Ito, a VIP security expert, told national broadcaster NHK. “If that kind of thing doesn’t run 100 percent, it’s not good.” Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 2:46 p.m 1657285347
Shooting suspect ‘said he had grievances about Shinzo Abe unrelated to politics’
The man arrested in connection with the death of Shinzo Abe said he wanted to kill him because he had grievances about him that were not related to politics, broadcaster NHK reported. Nara prefectural police earlier confirmed the arrest of Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, on suspicion of attempted murder. NHK reported that the suspect served in the Naval Self-Defense Force for three years in the 2000s. Mr Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, remained highly influential in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and headed its largest faction, the Seiwakai. Elections for Japan’s Upper House, the least powerful chamber of its parliament, are on Sunday. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Kishida pledged to keep them as planned. Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 14:02 1657283101
David Cameron pays tribute to ‘good friend’ and ‘kind and decent man’
Former Prime Minister David Cameron met Shinzo Abe several times and the Japanese leader was among those who warned the UK of the dangers of leaving the EU. Abe used a Downing Street meeting with Cameron just weeks before the 2016 referendum to argue the value of EU membership for Japanese investors in the UK. Cameron called his death “devastating and truly shocking news”. Former Prime Minister David Cameron pays tribute to his ‘good friend’ Shinzo Abe (Anthony Devlin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) “Shinzo Abe has been a good friend personally, a strong partner of the UK and a very kind and decent man,” he said. “I loved working with him. My heart goes out to his family and friends, as well as to the people of Japan at this very sad time.” Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 1:25 p.m 1657282248
Shinzo Abe has been an “excellent partner” for the United States, says Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the killing of Shinzo Abe “shocking” and “deeply troubling”, describing him as a visionary leader and an excellent partner for the United States. Blinken made the comments at the start of a tripartite meeting with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts on the sidelines of the Group of 20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Bali. Blinken said that for the United States, Abe “was a great partner and someone who was clearly a great leader.” He said Abe had brought the relationship between the United States and Japan “to new heights” during his tenure. Blinken said Abe was “a man with a big vision of what a free and open Indo-Pacific could look like and also an incredible ability to really work towards that vision,” referring to Abe’s signature foreign policy of pushing back China’s expanding regional influence. which was also adopted by Washington. Blinken called Abe’s death “a loss for Japan, a loss for the world.” Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 1:10 p.m 1657281198
Abe’s assassination sparked adverse comments from Chinese nationals
In China, Shinzo Abe’s shooting sparked…
title: “Shinzo Abe Shooting Ex Pm Never Recovered Vitals After Gun Attack " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-01” author: “Gary Wilson”
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died after being shot on Friday morning while delivering a campaign speech for the upcoming national election. He was shot in the back minutes after he began his speech in Nara in western Japan. He was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment, but he was not breathing and his heart had stopped. The hospital that tried to save him said he died at 5.03pm, about five and a half hours after he was shot. A doctor said Mr. Abe was bleeding to death from two deep wounds, one on the right side of his neck. He had no vital signs when he was brought in. In an address to the nation earlier, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the shooting as inexcusable, calling it a “heinous and barbaric” act. Police have arrested a 41-year-old man who is considered a suspect in the attack. He was identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, a resident of Nara, who was a former member of the naval self-defense force, Fuji TV reported. He reportedly told police he was unhappy with Japan’s former prime minister and intended to kill him.
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Queen ‘deeply saddened’ by Shinzo Abe’s death
The Queen has sent a message of condolence to the Emperor of Japan following the death of the country’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The monarch said: “My family and I were deeply saddened to learn of the sudden and tragic death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. “I have fond memories of meeting Mr Abe and his wife during their visit to the UK in 2016. His love for Japan and his desire to forge ever closer ties with the UK were clear. “I want to express my deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and the people of Japan at this difficult time.” Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 4:18 p.m 1657292521
Japan’s former powerful prime minister leaves a divided legacy
(Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images)
Shinzo Abe was a blue-blooded politician groomed for power. Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, he was also perhaps the most polarizing, complex politician in recent Japanese history. Abe has angered both liberals at home and victims of World War II in Asia with his aggressive push to revamp the military and his revisionist view that Japan has received an unfair verdict from history for its brutal past. At the same time, he revitalized Japan’s economy, led efforts to give the nation a stronger role in Asia and served as a rare beacon of political stability before stepping down two years ago for health reasons. “He is the most powerful political figure in Japan in the last two decades,” said Dave Leheny, a political scientist at Waseda University. “He wanted Japan to be respected on the world stage in the way he felt it deserved. . . . He also wanted Japan not to have to continue apologizing for World War II.” Abe believed that Japan’s post-war record of economic success, peace and global cooperation was something that “other countries should pay more attention to and the Japanese people should be proud of,” he said. Leheny. Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 4:02 p.m 1657291321
The killing comes as a surprise in Japan – a country where gun violence is rare
(Philip Fong/AFP via Getty Images)
The killing of Shinzo Abe has shocked and saddened people in a country where firearms are strictly regulated and political violence is extremely rare. From Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, an Abe protégé, to ordinary people on social media, there was an outpouring of grief. The last time a former or sitting prime minister was killed was almost 90 years ago. “I am incredibly shocked,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said at a regular news conference after the shooting and before Abe’s death was announced, fighting back tears and sniffling audibly. “Regardless of the reason, such a heinous act is completely inexcusable. It is an insult to democracy.” Koki Tanaka, a 26-year-old IT worker in central Tokyo, expressed a similar view: “I was just amazed that this could happen in Japan.” Newspapers produced special editions and Japanese television repeatedly broadcast footage of the shooting, showing Abe speaking forcefully into a handheld microphone surrounded by political banners until one shot rang out, followed by another. Japan’s gun ownership restrictions do not allow private individuals to own guns, and licensed hunters can only own rifles. Gun owners must take classes, pass a written test and undergo a mental health evaluation and background check. Shootings, when they do occur, usually involve “yakuza” gangsters using illegal weapons. In 2021, there were 10 shootings, eight involving gangsters, according to police data. One person was killed and four were injured. Chiara Giordano 8 July 2022 15:42 1657290174
Brazil’s Bolsonaro orders three days of mourning for Shinzo Abe
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has expressed “outrage and sadness” over the killing of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and said he has ordered three days of national mourning in Brazil. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving leader, died on Friday, hours after he was shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election in the western city of Nara. Bolsonaro called Abe, who was 67, “a brilliant leader and a great friend of Brazil” while sharing a photo alongside him on Twitter and urged “such unwarranted cruelty” to be severely punished. The Brazilian president met with Abe several times as he attended the G-20 summit in Osaka months after taking office in 2019 and traveled back to Japan for an official visit later that year. “We stand with Japan,” Bolsonaro said. Brazil is home to the largest Japanese population in the world outside of Japan. (Ludovic Marin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 3:22 p.m 1657287984
The killing raises questions about Japan’s VIP security
The fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at point-blank range at a political rally has raised questions about the protection of high-profile figures in a country where political violence and gun crime are extremely rare. Politicians in Japan often travel with fairly light security compared to their peers in the United States and other countries that have higher rates of violent crime. Abe, 67, was campaigning in the western city of Nara for Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) candidates ahead of Sunday’s election when he was shot, with Nippon TV saying the gunman was about 3 meters (10 feet) away. . Police arrested a 41-year-old suspect and later said the shooting was carried out with an improvised weapon and the suspect had admitted to the act. An official from the Nara Prefectural Police Department told reporters that the department will review whether security at the event was adequate and take appropriate measures. More weapons were found at the suspect’s home, the official said. Nippon Television quoted Nara police as saying that Abe was protected at today’s rally by an armed specialist police officer who traveled from Tokyo and some other local officers. When he was shot, Abe was standing at an intersection outside a train station, addressing a crowd of hundreds as buses and trucks passed behind his exposed back on the street where the gunman appeared. Several commentators said security around the former prime minister should have been stronger. “Anyone could have hit him from that distance,” Masazumi Nakajima, a former Japanese police detective, told Japan’s TBS television. “I think the security was a little too lax.” “The person must be covered from all directions,” Koichi Ito, a VIP security expert, told national broadcaster NHK. “If that kind of thing doesn’t run 100 percent, it’s not good.” Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 2:46 p.m 1657285347
Shooting suspect ‘said he had grievances about Shinzo Abe unrelated to politics’
The man arrested in connection with the death of Shinzo Abe said he wanted to kill him because he had grievances about him that were not related to politics, broadcaster NHK reported. Nara prefectural police earlier confirmed the arrest of Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, on suspicion of attempted murder. NHK reported that the suspect served in the Naval Self-Defense Force for three years in the 2000s. Mr Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, remained highly influential in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and headed its largest faction, the Seiwakai. Elections for Japan’s Upper House, the least powerful chamber of its parliament, are on Sunday. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Kishida pledged to keep them as planned. Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 14:02 1657283101
David Cameron pays tribute to ‘good friend’ and ‘kind and decent man’
Former Prime Minister David Cameron met Shinzo Abe several times and the Japanese leader was among those who warned the UK of the dangers of leaving the EU. Abe used a Downing Street meeting with Cameron just weeks before the 2016 referendum to argue the value of EU membership for Japanese investors in the UK. Cameron called his death “devastating and truly shocking news”. Former Prime Minister David Cameron pays tribute to his ‘good friend’ Shinzo Abe (Anthony Devlin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) “Shinzo Abe has been a good friend personally, a strong partner of the UK and a very kind and decent man,” he said. “I loved working with him. My heart goes out to his family and friends, as well as to the people of Japan at this very sad time.” Chiara Giordano July 8, 2022 1:25 p.m 1657282248
Shinzo Abe has been an “excellent partner” for the United States, says Antony Blinken
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the killing of Shinzo Abe “shocking” and “deeply troubling”, describing him as a visionary leader and an excellent partner for the United States. Blinken made the comments at the start of a tripartite meeting with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts on the sidelines of the Group of 20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Bali. Blinken said that for the United States, Abe “has been an outstanding…
