'This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him,' President Biden said while addressing the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Public television NHK aired a dramatic video of Abe giving a speech outside a train station in the western city of Nara. He is standing, dressed in a navy blue suit, raising his fist, when two gunshots are heard. The video then shows Abe collapsed on the street, with security guards running toward him. He holds his chest, his shirt smeared with blood.
Other videos from the scene showed campaign officials surrounding Abe. The former leader was still highly influential in the governing Liberal Democratic Party and headed its largest faction, Seiwakai. Elections for Japan's upper house, the less powerful chamber of its parliament, are Sunday. When he resigned as prime minister, Abe said he had a recurrence of the ulcerative colitis he'd had since he was a teenager.
Abe was a political blue blood who was groomed to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. His political rhetoric often focused on making Japan a “normal” and “beautiful” nation with a stronger military and bigger role in international affairs.Abe said he was proud of working while leader for a stronger Japan-U.S. security alliance and shepherding the first visit by a serving U.S. president to the atom-bombed city of Hiroshima.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rushed to hospital after possible shooting, NHK reportsFormer Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been rushed to hospital following a possible shooting during a speech in Nara, Japan, public broadcaster NHK reports.
Read more »
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in critical condition following shootingFormer Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rushed to hospital after possible shooting, NHK reports.
Read more »
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shot while giving campaign speechJapan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe collapsed bleeding and was in heart failure after apparently being shot during a campaign speech in western Japan, NHK public television said Friday.
Read more »