On Friday, July 8, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died at the Nara Prefectural Medical University Hospital.
An assassination attempt was made on him during a speech during the election campaign for the upper house of the Japanese Diet.
The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 local time (05:30 Moscow time).
According to local media, at least two shots were fired.
The attacker was behind Abe, who was wounded in the left side of the chest and neck.
“The former prime minister was just making a speech when a man appeared behind him.
The first shot rang out with a loud bang, but the politician continued to stand as if nothing had happened.
However, at the moment when the second shot was fired, he fell, ”an eyewitness to the incident told the Japanese NHK television channel.
Her words are quoted by RIA Novosti.
“We are shocked, outraged and strongly condemn what happened,” Hirokazu Matsuno, secretary general of the Japanese cabinet, told reporters.
The current Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, after the assassination attempt on Abe, canceled all planned events and urgently returned to Tokyo, where a crisis headquarters was created under his leadership, writes the Kyodo news agency.
He said that the security service of the former head of the Japanese government would be checked.
At the same time, a decision on the fate of the parliamentary elections scheduled for July 10 has not yet been made, but all members of the cabinet of ministers were invited to return to Tokyo.
According to him, such a barbaric attack cannot be forgiven, as it was committed during the election campaign.
“This act cannot be forgiven.
We will look into the situation and take appropriate measures, ”Kishida InoTV quotes.
The alleged perpetrator is 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, a former member of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
During the arrest, he did not resist, he was charged with attempted murder.
During the interrogation, the detainee expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the politician and emphasized the desire to kill him.
Legion Media
© Kyodo/Newscom
The Kremlin is deeply saddened by the death of Shinzo Abe as a result of the assassination attempt, said the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov.
“Abe was a patriot of Japan, he always defended the interests of his country, but he preferred to do it at the negotiating table.
It is thanks to this that he has developed a very good working, constructive relationship with President Putin.
Now such political will is in short supply in a number of countries.
They openly say that they prefer to defend their interests on the battlefield, which is a dead end path of development, ”he emphasized.
Vladimir Putin sent telegrams of condolences to Yoko and Akie Abe, mother and wife of the deceased Japanese prime minister.
“The hand of a criminal cut short the life of an outstanding statesman who headed the Japanese government for a long time and did a lot to develop good neighborly relations between our countries.
We maintained regular contacts with Shinzo, in which his excellent personal and professional qualities were fully manifested.
The bright memory of this wonderful person will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew him,” the document says.
In turn, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, added that Moscow was stunned by the news of the tragedy: “We are convinced that those who planned and committed this heinous crime will bear the due measure of responsibility for this act of terrorism, which does not and cannot be excuses."
Legion Media
© Kyodo/Newscom
Shinzo Abe was 67 years old.
He twice headed the Japanese government.
This first happened in 2006 when he became Japan's youngest prime minister since World War II.
After staying in this post for almost a year, he resigned due to an exacerbation of peptic ulcer.
The second coming to power took place at the end of 2012.
Abe left his post after a record 7 years and 8 months.
According to TASS, in total, Abe was prime minister for 3,196 days, which is the longest tenure as head of government in Japanese history.
Abe's activities were marked by a consistently high approval rating among the Japanese.
He carried out complex economic transformations in the country, which were called "Abenomics" in the media.
Abe also advocated strengthening ties with Russia.
In an interview, he talked about his trusting relationship with Vladimir Putin, with whom he can talk "heart to heart", discussing any issues, including the most difficult ones.
“Japan and Russia are the countries whose bilateral relations have the most promising prospects,” Abe said in an interview with TASS in 2018.