Police investigating the assassination of Japan’s Ex-Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has said the suspect held a grudge against a “specific organisation”.
According to the Police, the alleged gunman, named Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, believed Abe was part of the group and shot him for that reason, without naming the particular group. Abe died in the hospital on Friday (July 8, 2022) morning after being shot while speaking at a political campaign event.
The Police further disclosed that Tetsuya Yamagami admitted to shooting him with a homemade gun. Abe was Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister and his death at the age of 67 has profoundly shocked a country where gun crime is very rare.
Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, said he is “simply speechless” at the news of Abe’s death, vowing that Japan’s democracy would “never yield to violence”. Police are still investigating whether his killer acted alone and why Abe was targeted by other people related to the unnamed organisation.
Suspect’s Position Before Shooting
Abe was giving a speech for a political candidate at a road junction in the Southern city of Nara when the attacker struck from behind. Witnesses described a man carrying a large gun moving within a few metres of Abe and firing twice at the former PM, who fell to the ground as bystanders screamed in shock and disbelief. Photos circulating in the aftermath of the shooting showed the suspect standing just behind Abe as he gave his speech.
Security officers dived onto the gunman who made no attempt to run after he fired at Abe. The weapon that killed the politician is made using metal and wood, officers said, and appeared to be wrapped in duct tape. Several other handmade guns and explosives were later found at the suspect’s home.
Abe suffered two bullet wounds to his neck during the attack and also suffered damage to his heart. He was said to be conscious and responsive in the minutes after the attack, but doctors said no vital signs were detected by the time the former Prime Minister was transferred for treatment. Medics worked for hours to save him and Abe received more than 100 units of blood in transfusions before he was pronounced dead at 5.03 pm local time (08:03 GMT).
Voices of Other World Leaders
Prominent voices across the world condemned the incident, with UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, calling it a “despicable attack”. US President, Joe Biden, said he is “stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened” by the assassination, calling it “a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him”. Mr. Biden ordered US flags to be flown at half-mast over the weekend in tribute to Abe.
In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro declared three days of national mourning, expressing outrage and sadness, while Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, described Abe as a global statesman. South Korean President, Yoon Suk-yeol, called the attack an “unacceptable act of crime” and extended condolences to “the Japanese people for having lost their longest-serving prime minister and a respected politician”.
The Reason for his Death
The politician was out campaigning for his former party, the Liberal Democratic Party, in the run-up to elections on Sunday, July 10, 2022. On Japanese social media, the hashtag “We want democracy, not violence” is trending throughout Friday, with many social media users expressing their horror and disgust about the incident.
While he was in office, he pushed more assertive policies on defence and foreign policy and had long sought to amend Japan’s pacifist post-war constitution. He also pushed for an economic policy that came to be known as “Abenomics”, built on monetary easing, fiscal stimulus and structural reforms.
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