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Japan ex-PM Abe assassinated at campaign stop
STORY: Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died on Friday (July 8) after being shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election.Abe was in the western city of Nara when a man opened fire on him from behind with an apparently homemade gun as Abe spoke at a traffic island, according to Japanese media.A photograph from local media showed Abe lying on the street, with blood on his white shirt.Security officials were seen tackling a man in a grey T-shirt moments after two shots rang out.Police said a 41-year-old man had been arrested.The attack, shocked a nation where political violence is rare, and guns are tightly controlled.It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the days of pre-war militarism in the 1930s.Speaking before Abe’s death was announced, an emotional Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the shooting.”We cannot accept that this violent act took place during an election, the foundation of democracy. In the strongest terms, I condemn this act.”Abe was airlifted to the hospital after the attack.Japan’s public broadcaster NHK quoted the suspect, identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, as telling police he was dissatisfied with Abe and wanted to kill him.Abe was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, serving two terms before stepping down in 2020 citing ill health.He remained a dominant presence over the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, controling one of its major factions.
