Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot while giving a speech in the western city of Nara, state-run broadcaster NHK said on July 8.
The 67-year-old bled to death after sustaining two deep neck wounds, a doctor from Nara Medical University Hospital was cited as saying.
He had no vital signs on arrival, and one wound was deep enough to reach his heart, the doctor added.
Blood transfusions were given as medics battled to save his life.
The 67-year-old was reportedly shot from behind with what appeared to be a homemade gun.
Citing Japanese officials, the Voice of America (VOA) says Shinzo Abe has died after being shot in the chest during a speech Friday.
Earlier Friday, Abe was speaking at a campaign event outside a train station in the city of Nara, just east of Osaka, when he was approached from behind by a man with a gun.
Following two loud blasts, Abe fell to the ground and was bleeding. The 67-year-old Shinzo Abe was taken to the hospital, where local media say his heart stopped.
NHK said that the alleged shooter, a 41-year-old man from Nara, has been detained. It said the man, identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, served three years in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. The man told police that he was dissatisfied with Abe and wanted to kill him, NHK added.
It is the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the 1930s.
Japanese incumbent Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the “sneaky barbaric” attack, saying it occurred during elections that form the very heart of Japan’s democracy, according to the VOA. He reportedly declined to comment on the political implications of the shooting. Japanese officials have said the election will continue.
Mr. Shinzo Abe (September 21, 1954 – July 8, 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. He was the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history. He stepped down in August 2020 but remained active in politics. He continued to be an influential voice in the country’s ruling LDP.
Born into a prominent political family, Mr. Abe was elected to the House of Representatives in the 1993 election. He was appointed Chief Cabinet Secretary by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in September 2005, before replacing him as prime minister and LDP president in September 2006.
