- Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot in the street during a campaign speech.
- A man shot Abe from a few meters from behind in broad daylight in Nara, Japanese media reports.
- The right-wing conservative politician is fighting for his life in the hospital.
- A 41-year-old Japanese man was arrested at the scene for attempted murder.
As the Japanese television station NHK reports, the 67-year-old ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is said to have suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest. On the way to a hospital, he was initially still conscious and responded to speech.
Pictures show Abe collapsed on the street in the ancient imperial city of Nara. He was on the street during his speech at the House of Lords next Sunday. According to media reports, he was shot twice from behind. This can also be heard in videos that appeared after the attack. Abe grabbed his chest as he collapsed, his shirt was smeared with blood.
The assassination of Japan’s former prime minister is believed to have been carried out by an ex-member of the country’s Self-Defense Forces. NHK reported Friday, citing Defense Department sources. The Japanese man arrested at the scene served in the country’s navy for three years until 2005, NHK reported.
Japan’s government is in crisis mode after the assassination attempt. Shinzo Abe is in “serious condition,” his successor and fellow party member Fumio Kishida told journalists. The incumbent head of government condemned the attack “strongly” and ended his election campaign after the assassination. Kishida has made his way back to his seat of government in Tokyo. His government set up a crisis team. The motive for the attack is not yet known, said Kishida.
Legend:
The alleged assassin, a 41-year-old Japanese man, was arrested immediately after the crime.
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There were also voices of concern from the opposition about the state of right-wing conservative Abe. “Violence against political activities is absolutely unacceptable,” said a representative of the Communist Party. He prays for Abe.
Shinzo Abe ruled Japan from December 2012 to September 2020, making him the country’s longest-serving prime minister. Abe is among the advocates of a revision of the pacifist post-war constitution. According to critics, Japan clearly moved to the right under him.
Legend:
Shinzo Abe served as Prime Minister of Japan for eight years.
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The US ambassador to Japan was also shocked by the attack on Shinzo Abe. “We are all sad and shocked” that the former Prime Minister was shot, wrote US Ambassador Rahm Emanuel in a statement.
“Abe-san” was an “outstanding leader of Japan and a staunch ally of the United States.” “The US government and the American people pray for the well-being of Abe-san, his family and the people of Japan,” Emanuel wrote.