Shinzo Abe's Official portrait, 2020
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Wikipedia reports that on 8 July 2022, Shinzo Abe, former prime minister of Japan, was fatally shot while delivering a campaign speech near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Nara Prefecture, at approximately 11:30 JST (UTC+9).[2][3] He was critically wounded, showing no vital signs and was in cardiopulmonary arrest.[4][1] Japanese state media reported about five hours later that he had died in the hospital at 5:03pm JST.[5][6]
Shooting
On 8 July 2022, Abe was making a speech on behalf of Councillor Kei Satō, a Liberal Democratic Party candidate running for re-election, ahead of upcoming upper house elections scheduled on Sunday, 10 July. Abe was shot twice from behind with an improvised[1] double-barreled shotgun and collapsed.
[7][8][9] The assassination marks the first time an Improvised firearm was used to assassinate a political figure.[citation needed]
Abe was initially conscious and communicative right after he was shot. He was transported to a local hospital by an emergency helicopter with a chest wound and was reported to have no vital signs when he arrived at Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara.[2][10][11][9] At a press conference held from 2:45 p.m. JST, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Abe was in a critical condition and that "doctors [were] doing everything they [could]".[12]
Suspect
Tetsuya Yamagami (Japanese: 山上徹也), a 41-year-old man living in Nara, was arrested by Nara Prefectural Police at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder and was transferred to the Nara Nishi Police Station.[37] He was described as being calm and making no attempts to flee.[38][39][40] Yamagami had no prior criminal history.[41]
Yamagami was born in Mie Prefecture.[42] He was described as "quiet and reserved" in high school.[43][44] Yamagami wrote in his high-school graduation yearbook that he "didn't have a clue" what he wanted to do in the future.[45] Yamagami joined the [Japanese Navy] in August 2002, where he was dispatched to Kure Naval Base and assigned to the JS Matsuyuki.[46][45][47] Yamagami retired from the JMSDF in August 2005 as a Quartermaster[46] with the rank of leading seaman.[43] During his tenure in the JMSDF, he had firearms training once every year.[48][43]
Yamagami was unemployed at the time of his arrest.[49] In autumn 2020, Yamagami had started working as a forklift operator in Kyoto Prefecture for a manufacturer that operated in the Kansai region. There he was described as "quiet" before quitting in May 2022 after claiming that he was "feeling unwell".[49][45][50]
After his arrest, Yamagami told investigators that he was dissatisfied with Abe and intended to kill him.[51][52] Yamagami also claimed that he held a grudge against a "particular religious group" and shot Abe because he believed that "the religious group and Abe were connected".[53][54][55] The Nara Prefectural Police refused to elaborate on what the "religious group" was.[56] Yamagami claimed that he "didn't have a grudge against Abe's political beliefs".[53] Yamagami told police that he kept track of Abe's schedule during his visit to Nara on Abe's website.[55] Yamagami also claimed that he was planning an attack for "several months" and built a gun to kill Abe.[57][58]
Nara Prefectural Police discovered several possible explosive devices and handmade guns similar to the one used to shoot Abe during a search of Yamagami's home following his arrest.[59][52][60] They were later seized as evidence and taken by bomb disposal officers after nearby residents were evacuated.[61][62][63] Websites about bomb-making and weapons manufacturing were discovered in Yamagami's browsing history.[64]
Aftermath
A crisis management center was established at the prime minister's office.[17] Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was in Yamagata Prefecture for the election campaign, cancelled his remaining schedule in order to return to Tokyo.[10]
All other members of the incumbent cabinet were also called back to Tokyo, with the exception of Foreign Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi who was in Indonesia for G20 meetings, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.[18] According to Liberal Democratic Party officials, Abe died at the hospital.[6]
Pete Comment
This is very sad and shocking.
Assassinations are relatively rare in Japan.
There was an assassination attempt by stabbing of Abe's maternal grandfather, top level politician, Nobusuke Kishi, in 1960.
Motivations of the Suspect who shot Abe might include (claimed) insanity, resentment and a desire to be instantly famous, to be noticed.