On Friday, July 8, shots were fired at Shinzo Abe, former Japanese Prime Minister, during an election rally held in Nara in the west. The Japanese government confirmed that he was not in any condition to return to life. According to local media.
"The former Prime Minister was killed in a shooting incident at Nara around 11:30 AM (3:30 AM Paris time). Hirokazu Mattsuno, Chief Cabinet Secretary, said that a man believed to be the shooter had been taken into custody. According to NHK, a man in his 40s was arrested for attempted murder. A gun was also confiscated.
Fumio Kirisha, the country's current Prime Minster, says that Shinzo Abe is "in a very serious condition".
According to NHK and the news agency, gunshots were heard as the former chief executive, aged 67, was giving a speech at a rally in preparation for Sunday's senatorial election. Kyodo press.
NHK was told by a young woman that he was giving a speech when a man appeared from behind. The first shot was like a toy. The big bang was the result of him not falling. She added that the second shot was visible more clearly, and you could see the sparks and smoke. She testified that people reached out to him and gave him CPR after the second shot.
According to a source within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Shinzo Abe fell and was bleeding from his neck, according to the Jiji news agency.
Contacted immediately by AFP, neither PLD nor local police could confirm this information.
NHK and Kyodo both reported that Mr Abe was taken into hospital and appears to have suffered from cardiopulmonary arrest. This is a Japanese term that indicates no signs of life and often precedes a death certificate.
Multiple outlets reported that he had been shot from the back, most likely with a rifle. Shinzo Abe, Japan's longest serving prime minister, was a great man. In office for one year in 2006, he was again in office from 2012 to 2020 when he was forced out of his position for health reasons.
The attack was condemned by Rahm Emanuel, the US Ambassador to Japan. "We are all shocked and saddened by the attack on Abe Shinzo, former Prime Minister. Abe-san was a great leader in Japan and a strong ally of America. Rahm Emanuel, a United States official, released a statement expressing his gratitude.
Japan has some of the most stringent gun control laws anywhere in the world. The country's 125 million inhabitants have a very low annual gun-related death rate.
Even for Japanese citizens, it is difficult to obtain a gun license. They must first get a recommendation from a shooting organization and then go through strict police checks.
