Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe assassinated in broad day light
New Delhi : Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been reportedly assassinated in a broad day light during one of his public addresses for the upcoming elections.
According to reports, he has been shot twice during his speech in the city of Nara, in western Japan.
In the initial pictures coming from the incident site, Shinzo Abe can be seen lying on the street with blood marks on his shirt. It has been learned that he was injured on the left side of his chest and neck area.
The incident occurred at around 11.30 am (8 am IST). Abe was making a campaign speech on a street outside the train station ahead of Sunday’s election to the upper house of Japan’s parliament.
The locals present there heard two gun shots; the first gun shot was loud but saw nobody collapsing, the second gun shot was not loud but after that former Japanese PM collapsed. In the pictures and videos online, his security guards and personnel can be seen rushing to his aid.
The suspect has been arrested. The man has been identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, believed to be a resident of Nara City. The media reports also claim that the shooter did not make any attempt to flee from the site after shooting Shinzo Abe. He instead laid down the gun and remained on the spot as he was caught by security personnel.
Shinzo Abe, when brought to the hospital, had no vital signs and was declared dead on arrival.
Current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, widely considered Abe’s protege, termed the attack barbaric.
"It is barbaric and malicious and it cannot be tolerated. We will do everything we can…At this moment, doctors are working very hard to save Mr. Abe," he said in a televised address.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also reacted to the incident and said he was "deeply disturbed” by the news. “Deeply distressed by the attack on my dear friend Abe Shinzo. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and the people of Japan," he wrote on Twitter.
He has also declared one-day mourning in India over Abe’s death. PM Modi wrote on Twitter: "As a mark of our deepest respect for former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, a one day national mourning shall be observed on 9 July 2022."
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