AMN / WEB DESK
NARA, Japan – Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot dead on Friday while delivering a stump speech in the western city of Nara two days ahead of a national election.
Japan’s longest-serving leader was attacked by a 41-year-old man from behind at around 11:30 a.m. when he was speaking in front of Kintetsu Railway’s Yamato-Saidaiji Station, police said, adding he collapsed to the ground after two shots were heard. He was rushed to hospital with blood seen on his shirt.
| Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the shooting of his predecessor Shinzo Abe is absolutely unforgivable. He condemned the shooting as a barbaric and malicious act and said, that it cannot be tolerated. Mr Kishida was speaking to reporters at his official residence in Tokyo after rushing back to the capital from Yamagata, where he had been campaigning. Japanese Official media reports that two shots were heard. NHK reports that Police have arrested a man, named Yamagami Tetsuya for attempted murder. It was also reported that a gun seized at the scene appeared to be handmade. The 41-year-old suspect lives in Nara city where the shooting took place. Mr. Abe was in the city to support a candidate in this weekend’s Upper House Election. The local Liberal Democratic Party officials said, Abe’s appearance was decided on Thursday night and those details were later released to supporters. |
The following is a chronology of major events related to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot by a gunman Friday in western Japan.
Sept. 21, 1954 — Born in Tokyo.
April 1979 — Begins working at Kobe Steel Ltd.
Nov. 1982 — Begins working as a secretary for his father Shintaro Abe, then foreign minister.
July 18, 1993 — Elected to the House of Representatives.
Sept. 21, 2003 — Becomes the secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Oct. 31, 2005 — Becomes chief Cabinet secretary under then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
Sept. 20, 2006 — Becomes president of the LDP after its leadership election.
Sept. 26 — Appointed as Japan’s 90th prime minister.
July 29, 2007 — Presides over the LDP’s crushing defeat in the House of Councillors election.
Sept. 12 — Announces his intention to resign as prime minister.
Sept. 26, 2012 — Returns to the LDP presidency after its leadership election.
Dec. 16 — Oversees the LDP’s regaining of a majority in the lower house election.
Dec. 26 — Takes office as Japan’s 96th prime minister.
Dec. 26, 2013 — Visits war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, becoming first prime minister to do so in seven years, triggering criticism from Japan’s neighbors and disappointment by the United States.
Dec. 24, 2014 — Appointed as Japan’s 97th prime minister.
Sept. 19, 2015 — Japan enacts security legislation aimed at expanding the scope of the Self-Defense Forces’ operations overseas.