Latest
GUNNED DOWN
Ex-Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, 67, dead after being shot twice with homemade shotgun during speech in bloody assassination
FORMER Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being brutally shot twice in a bloody assassination on Friday.
National broadcaster NHK aired footage showing Abe, 67, collapsing on the street in Nara, Japan, clutching his blood-smeared chest as several security guards ran toward him.
16
16
16
Abe was seen holding his chest after reportedly suffering two gunshot wounds - one to the chest and one to the neck - that left him bloodied on the ground.
The former prime minister was not breathing and his heart had stopped, NHK quoted firefighters as saying.
As first responders rushed to save Abe's life, police captured Yamagami Tetsuya, 41, for the alleged shooting, according to NHK.
Fuji TV reports that the suspect is an ex-Japanese military native of Nara city, and was formerly a member of the Maritime Self-Defence Force, the country's equivalent of a navy, for three years until 2005.
READ MORE WORLD NEWS
He was pictured carrying a large homemade weapon, according to police.
Close-ups of the gun appear to show two pipes strapped to a piece of wood.
Fumio Kishida, Abe's replacement as prime minister, was rushed to his office by helicopter for emergency talks with officials.
Addressing the media, he earlier said Abe is in a critical condition, describing the shooting as a "heinous act".
Most read in World News
"Currently doctors are doing everything they can at this moment," he said. "I am hoping and praying that former prime minister Abe will survive this."
He added that the reasons for the "barbaric" shooting were not clear at this moment.
Abe was giving a speech at a campaign event ahead of Sunday’s election for the parliament’s upper house when the shots rang out.
His security team were around him, but the gunman was able to draw his weapon and shoot the former statesman at close range "without being checked".
A from BNO News showed bystanders rushing to help the former prime minister after he was shot at around 11.30am local time (3.30am BST).
Abe's scheduled speech was publicised on Thursday evening.
What we know so far...
- Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe has died after being gunned down in a violent assassination
- The 67-year-old was giving a speech in the western Japanese city of Nara when he was shot twice from behind in the chest and neck
- Video shows Abe go down clutching his chest after two loud bangs
- A 41-year-old armed forces veteran, Yamagami Tetsuya, was arrested with a homemade shotgun for the killing
- The motive for the shooting is so far unknown
- Japan's prime minister has described the shooting as a "heinous act"
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said of the arrest: “A barbaric act like this is absolutely unforgivable, no matter what the reasons are, and we condemn it strongly."
Abe's younger brother earlier told reporters in Tokyo that the former prime minister had received a blood transfusion in hospital as doctors urgently tried to save his life.
His wife, Akie Abe, arrived at hospital to be at her stricken husband's side.
Japan has some of the strictest gun laws in developed nations, and such shootings are incredibly rare.
In 2007, Nagasaki's mayor was shot and killed by a member of the yakuza criminal gang.
The head of Japan's Socialist Party was assassinated with a samurai sword by a right-wing youth during a speech in 1960.
Currently doctors are doing everything they can at this moment
Fumio Kishida
Boris Johnson was among those to express their shock at the events in Japan.
"Utterly appalled and saddened to hear about the despicable attack on Shinzo Abe," he tweeted. "My thoughts are with his family and loved ones."
Former US president Donald Trump also responded to the news, describing Abe as "a truly great man" and "a true friend of mine" on his social media platform 'Truth Social'.
The US ambassador to Japan wrote a heartbreaking tribute to the ex-prime minister.
"We are all saddened and shocked by the shooting of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo," Rahm Emanuel.
"Abe-san has been an outstanding leader of Japan and unwavering ally of the US the US Government and American people are praying for the well-being of Abe-san, his family, & people of Japan."
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also spoke of his horror at the attempted assassination.
"Our thoughts, our prayers are with him, with his family, with the people of Japan," he said, speaking from the G20 summit in Bali.
"This is a very, very sad moment. And we're awaiting news from Japan."
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
ABE'S LEGACY
Abe resigned as prime minister in 2020 once he "brought stability to Japan after a revolving door of six administrations," Bloomberg said.
The 67-year-old first served as prime minister from 2006 to 2007 and then again from 2012 to 2020.
He was the longest-serving prime minister in Japan's history, known for his pro-military stance and signature economic strategy, "Abenomics".
Abe told reporters when he resigned in 2020 that it was "gut-wrenching" to leave many goals unfinished.
He cited a lifelong battle with the intestinal disease ulcerative colitis as his reason for stepping down.
Described by some as an ultra-nationalist, supporters lauded his efforts to strengthen Japan's relationship with the US.
However, he also made enemies through his strong decision to force his defense goals through parliament, the AP reported.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Read More On The Sun
Nicknamed "the Prince", he was part of a political dynasty, with his father a former Foreign Minister and grandfather a former Prime Minister.
Abe was replaced by Fumio Kishida, who became prime minister of Japan in 2021.
16
16
16
16
Topics