Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving leader and former prime minister, passed away on Friday shortly after being shot while campaigning for a parliamentary seat, startling a nation where political violence is uncommon and firearms are strictly regulated.
Abe, 67, was shot while giving a speech to the public on a dull traffic island in the western city of Nara. The assailant approached Abe from behind and started firing. The weapon seemed to be a handmade firearm, according to Japanese media.
“This attack is an act of brutality that happened during the elections – the very foundation of our democracy – and is absolutely unforgivable,” said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
It was the first assassination of a current or former Japanese leader since a coup attempt in 1936, which resulted in the deaths of numerous people, including two previous premiers.
Abe, who was brought to the hospital in cardiopulmonary arrest and without displaying any vital signs, was unable to be revived.
Hidetada Fukushima, a professor in charge of emergency medicine at Nara Medical University Hospital, said during a televised news conference that despite receiving more than 100 units of blood in transfusions over the course of four hours, the patient bled to death from deep wounds to the heart and the right side of his neck.
A 41-year-old male was reportedly detained by police after being accused of carrying out the shooting. According to NHK, the suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, told police he intended to assassinate Abe because he was unhappy with him.
The suspect admitted to making several homemade bombs and weapons in the past.
Source: Reuters
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