Shooting Of Former Prime Minster Shinzo Abe Shocks Japan

Bridgette Randall
08 Jul, 2022
New York City

Shinzo Abe, Japan's former prime minister, died at the age of 67 from a gun wound during a campaign speech in western Japan. 

The sudden news of Abe's assassination sent shockwaves in a country not accustomed to violence and around the world. 

Abe was shot from behind by a 41-year old man using a large pistol at 11:30 a.m. local time when he was delivering a campaign speech near Yamato-Saidaiji railway station located in Nara city, according to local police. 

The suspect Tetsuya Yamagami is under custody, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.

Japan, a peaceful nation, has one of the strictest gun controls in the world requiring stringent background checks and mental health assessments. 

Abe passed away at 5:03 p.m. local time and was suffering from two gunshot wounds with internal bleeding on the left side of his chest and neck injuries, a doctor with the Nara Medical University said at a press conference. 

Abe suffered severe blood loss and his heart stopped beating before he arrived at the hospital. 

Abe was visiting Nara while campaigning for the Liberal Democratic Party candidate contesting for the House of Councilor's election on Sunday. 

Abe served two separate terms as Japan's prime minister representing the LDP. 

Abe's first term was between 2006 and 2007 and the second term between 2012 and 2020. 

Abe's second term, the longest term for a Japanese leader, saw several attempts at reviving the moribund economy popularized by the Abenomics - a mix of fiscal and monetary steps and structural reforms including  women's participation in business. 

Abe played a key role in forming an informal alliance of the U.S., Japan, India, and Australia, dubbed Quad, primarily acting as a deterrent to the growing military threat from China. 

"He was a towering global statesman, an outstanding leader, and a remarkable administrator." said India's prime minister Narendra Modi. 

Modi also declared a day of national mourning on July 9. 

In recent years, Abe has grown critical of China and worried that its growing military might threaten the security alliance in the region. 

China has long regarded Taiwan as its renegade province and holds an ambition to unite the two countries. 

Abe's recent comment that the "Taiwan crisis" is "Japan crisis" angered China and added that Japan will not be able to stand by if there is a conflict with the island nation.