Jubilee Post News & Views
Special Desk
Japan’s former PM and an internationally known face Shinzo Abe, 67, was shot at on Friday while he was campaigning in Nara city. He has been taken to hospital.
It is said he might have been shot from behind by a man with a shotgun. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said he did not know Abe’s condition, while reports said he appeared to be in a state of cardiac arrest on way hospital.
Shots were heard and a white puff of smoke was seen as Abe made a stump speech for a upper house election outside a train station in the western city. Those on spot heard consecutive bangs during Abe’s speech, said international media.
Matsuno, told media, Abe had been shot at about 11:30 am (0230 GMT). He condemned the attack saying “Such an act of barbarity cannot be tolerated.”
Unconfirmed videos that circulated on social media showed Abe lying down after the incident and medic surrounding him before being shifted to hospital.
Abe became Japan’s longest-serving premier before stepping down in 2020 citing ill health. He served two terms as prime minister. His protege, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, goes into an upper house election on Sunday hoping. Kishida suspended his election campaign after Abe’s shooting and was returning to Tokyo.
Abe first took office in 2006 as Japan’s youngest prime minister since World War-II. After a year plagued by political scandals, voter outrage at lost pension records, and an election drubbing for his ruling party. He became prime minister again in 2012.
IN Japan, in 2014, there were just six incidents of gun deaths in Japan, as compared to 33,599 in the US. People have to undergo a strict exam and mental health tests in order to buy a gun and even then, only shotguns and air rifles are allowed.
