Abe gunman’s shots ring out throughout the world
Yesterday’s shocking assassination of Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe in one of the world’s safest country stunned the world and drew condemnation, with Iran calling it an ‘‘act of terrorism’’ and Spain slamming the ‘‘cowardly attack’’.
Abe, 67, was shot twice from behind minutes after he started his speech in the western city of Nara. He was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment but was not breathing and his heart had stopped. He was pronounced dead later, hospital officials said.
Police arrested the suspected gunman at the scene of an attack that shocked many in Japan, which has some of the strictest gun control laws anywhere.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Cabinet ministers hastily returned to Tokyo from campaign events national after the shooting, which he called ‘‘dastardly and barbaric’’.
‘‘This attack is an act of brutality that happened during the elections – the very foundation of our democracy – and is absolutely unforgivable,’’ said Kishida, struggling to keep his emotions in check. Iran condemned the shooting as ‘‘an act of terrorism’’.
‘‘As a country that has been a victim of terrorism and has lost great leaders to terrorists, we are following the news closely and with concern,’’ a spokesperson from Iran’s Foreign
Ministry said.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez sent his best wishes to Abe’s family and ‘‘our forthright condemnation of this cowardly attack. ‘‘Spain stands together with the people of Japan in these difficult times,’’ he tweeted.
Abe was Japan’s longest-serving leader before stepping down in 2020.
Local news agency NHK aired a dramatic video of Abe giving a speech outside a train station in Nara. He is standing, dressed in a navy blue suit, raising his fist, when two gunshots are heard. The video then shows Abe collapsed on the street, with security guards running toward him. In the next moment, security guards leap on top of a man in grey shirt who lies face down on the pavement. A double-barreled device that appeared to be a handmade gun is seen on the ground.
Prefectural police had earlier confirmed the arrest of Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, on suspicion of attempted murder.
NHK reported that the suspect served in the Maritime Self-Defense Force for three years in the 2000s.
The former leader was still highly influential in the governing Liberal Democratic Party. Elections for Japan’s upper house are planned for Sunday.