Japan mourns ex-PM Shinzo Abe as police investigate fatal shooting - In pics
A steady stream of mourners visited the scene of the bloody assassination of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe`s in the western city of Nara, while many others gathered at his residence in Tokyo to mourn the political leader. (Photo credits: Reuters)
Japan's former PM Shinzo Abe dies after being shot
Shinzo Abe, 67, died on Friday morning after being shot from behind during an election campaign speech near a train station in the western prefecture of Nara. Abe was attacked in the city of Nara and airlifted to a local hospital but died of blood loss despite emergency treatment including massive blood transfusions. Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, had stepped down in 2020 citing health reasons. He was prime minister of Japan twice, from 2006-07 and again from 2012-20.
Who assassinated Shinzo Abe?
Japanese Police have identified the suspect arrested for shooting former prime minister Shinzo Abe on Friday as Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of Nara City. Yamagami was arrested at the scene where he was wielding a homemade gun. He has denied he committed the crime because he was opposed to Abe's political beliefs, according to the police. He told police that he initially planned to attack a leader of a religious group, the Japanese media reported on Saturday.
Japan mourns former PM
Mourners gather at Abe’s residence in Tokyo
Japanese lay flowers at Abe’s photograph
Night vigil for Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe's assassination
Some interesting facts about Shinzo Abe
Abe became Japan's youngest prime minister in 2006, at age 52, but his overly nationalistic first stint abruptly ended a year later, also because of his health. He won six national elections and built a rock-solid grip on power, bolstering Japan's defense role and capability and its security alliance with the U.S. He also stepped up patriotic education at schools and raised Japan's international profile.