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Japan ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shot dead
Japanese public broadcaster NHK said that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving leader, died on Friday (July 8) after being shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election.
Mr Abe was shot at twice while he was giving a speech in the southern city of Nara on Friday morning (July 8), the BBC reported.
Mr Abe was giving a stump speech for a political candidate in Nara at a road junction when the attack happened. Eyewitnesses said they saw a man carrying what they described as a large gun and firing twice at Mr Abe from behind.
He immediately collapsed and was rushed to the nearest hospital. Pictures taken at the scene showed him bleeding.
Security officials at the scene tackled the gunman, and the 41-year-old suspect is now in police custody. The suspect has been identified as Nara resident Tetsuya Yamagami. Local media reports say he is believed to be a former member of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, Japan's equivalent of a navy.
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Shinzo Abe with his supporters before the attack.pic.twitter.com/07AbFKSRjn
In an emotional press conference a few hours later, prime minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that Mr Abe was in a "very grave condition".
He also condemned the attack, saying: "It is barbaric and malicious and it cannot be tolerated."
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The Fire and Disaster Management Agency confirmed that Mr Abe had a bullet wound on the right of his neck, and also suffered subcutaneous bleeding under the left part of his chest.
National broadcaster NHK said Mr Abe was "conscious and responsive" while he was transported to the hospital, citing police sources.
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It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the days of prewar militarism in the 1930s.
It is worthy to note that Mr Abe's speech came as part of a campaign for his former party, the Liberal Democratic Party, as upper house elections in Japan are due to take place later this week.
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