Shinzo Abe

Country's longest-serving premier is in cardiac and respiratory arrest, according to NHK.

Former PM collapses after gunshots reportedly heard while he spoke in the city of Nara.

“Abe-san has been an outstanding leader of Japan and unwavering ally of the United States,” Emanuel said in a statement. He resigned without presiding over the Games, which were postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic. Amateur video footage showed Abe’s aides rushing towards him as smoke filled the air behind him.

Local media say ex-Japanese prime minister is showing no vital signs after being shot in the western city of Nara.

Supporters of Abe said that his legacy was a stronger United States-Japan relationship that was meant to bolster Japan’s defense capability. Abe had been due to stay on until late 2021, giving him an opportunity to see out one final event in his historic tenure – the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games. But in a shock announcement, he stepped down in August 2020, after a chronic health problem resurfaced. He also bolstered defence spending after years of declines and expanded the military’s ability to project power abroad. “Abe-san has been an outstanding leader of Japan and unwavering ally of the United States,” he said in a statement. The broadcaster aired footage showing Abe collapsed on the street, with several security guards running toward him. Abe has had ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager and has said the condition was controlled with treatment.

Shinzo Abe has collapsed bleeding and is in heart failure after being shot during a campaign speech in western Japan, local media is reporting.

"The first shot sounded like a toy. The second shot was more visible, you could see the spark and smoke," she added. "He was giving a speech and a man came from behind," a young woman at the scene told NHK. Mr Abe was reportedly hit on the left side of his chest and apparently also in the neck. Mr Abe was holding his chest when he collapsed, with his shirt smeared with blood. Video appeared to show a puff of white smoke behind Mr Abe as he made a speech outside a train station in the western city, NHK reports.

Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has been rushed to hospital “unresponsive” after being shot during a campaign speech in Nara.

The election, due on Sunday, is seen as a key test of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s hold on power after he replaced Yoshihide Suga in October. Kishida had stacked his cabinet with Abe allies to maintain his links to the LDP’s conservative base. The second shot we could see the gunpowder and a lot of white smoke,” the witness said. “Such violence cannot be tolerated, and we condemn it in the heaviest way.” Local station MBS also reported that Abe was in a state of cardiac arrest. “Then I saw the suspect with something larger than a handgun. Kyodo News reported just after 11.30am, Tokyo time, that Abe was unconscious and unresponsive.

Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in heart failure after apparently being shot during a campaign speech Friday in western Japan, NHK public ...

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The country's longest serving prime minister was taken to hospital after shooting on campaign trail for Sunday's upper house election.

According to Associated Press, the term is sometimes used by officials in Japan to describe situations where victims are no longer alive, but before a formal declaration of death has been made. Our prayers are with him, his wife Akie and the people of Japan at this very difficult time According to police, there were 21 arrests for the use of firearms in 2020, with 12 of them gang-related, Nikkei Asia reported. Media reports quoted police as saying that the weapon thought to have been used in the attack was homemade. Fuji TV has reported that the suspect in the shooting is a former maritime self defence force member. Former Prime Minister Abe is not only a good friend of mine, but also a staunch friend of Taiwan’s. He has supported Taiwan for many years and spared no effort to promote the progress of Taiwan-Japan relations.

Tokyo | Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has reportedly been shot while giving an election speech on Friday. Mr Abe collapsed and was bleeding ...

That is the story of Abenomics in brief. He was also close to Australia and formalised the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in 2007. The shooting shocked Japan which has low gun crime and a limited history of political assassinations. There were reports of gunfire and a man being taken into custody shortly afterwards. In 2018, he was the first Japanese prime minister to visit Darwin, honouring those killed in the Japanese bombing of the city during World War II. Mr Abe stepped down two years ago for health reasons but still controlled the largest faction in the LDP and was instrumental in the selection of Fumio Kishida as the current prime minister.

Japanese officials have confirmed former PM Shinzo Abe has been shot while giving a speech, with reports saying he was rushed to hospital in cardiac arrest.

Taiwan and Japan are both democratic countries with rule of law. “I believe everyone is as surprised and sad as I am. “The minister has expressed her sympathies in the name of G20 foreign ministers to the Japanese foreign minister,” Teuku Faizasyah, Indonesia’s foreign ministry spokesman on behalf of Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, said in a statement. “The US government and American people are praying for the wellbeing of Abe-san, his family, and the people of Japan.” “We don’t know his condition, we do know he’s been shot and our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, with the people of Japan. This is a very, very sad moment and we’re waiting news from Japan.” Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe has been shot while campaigning in the city of Nara, with public broadcaster NHK reporting he appeared to have been fired at from behind by a man with a shotgun.

Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe has been shot and has been airlifted to hospital but he is not breathing and his heart has stopped, officials say.

"The first shot sounded like a toy. "The US government and American people are praying for the well-being of Abe-san, his family, and the people of Japan," he said. The second shot was more visible, you could see the spark and smoke," she added. "He was giving a speech and a man came from behind," a young woman at the scene told NHK. Mr Abe was reportedly hit on the left side of his chest and apparently also in the neck. According to NHK, the suspect told police he was unhappy with Mr Abe and intended to kill him.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed solidarity with Japan following the shooting of former PM Shinzo Abe, which...

"He is a man of incredible decency and a great ally to Australia," he said. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said he was horrified by the news, calling Mr Abe "one of the great leaders of our times". "PM Abe is a great and wise friend of Australia and one of the most important global leaders of the post-war era."

He was campaigning for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party for the Upper House elections due on Sunday, in the city of Nara in western Japan, when he was shot ...

Abe’s ill-health returned, and he resigned in August 2020, replaced the following month by his former chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga. A long-running series of nepotism scandals also dented his public standing; investigations by public prosecutors led to charges against some of Abe’s associates and political staff, although Abe himself was never indicted. His first stint as prime minister lasted roughly a year, from 2006 to 2007, before he resigned due to ulcerative colitis following his party’s poor performance in the 2007 Upper House elections. He introduced his signature economic policy, “ Abenomics”, based on massive deficit spending, quantitative easing and attempts at structural reform. The alleged assailant, reportedly a 42-year old local man, was arrested at the scene. Gun ownership is tightly regulated, and mostly restricted to registered hunters.

Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe has died after he was shot during an election campaign speech, public...

Police said a 41-year-old man suspected of carrying out the shooting had been arrested. Police said the suspected shooter was a resident of Nara. Media said he had served in Japan's military for three years until 2005. The head of the Japan Socialist Party was assassinated during a speech in 1960 by a right-wing youth with a samurai short sword. In 2007, the mayor of Nagasaki was shot and killed by a yakuza gangster. "There was a loud bang and then smoke," businessman Makoto Ichikawa, who was at the scene, told Reuters, adding that the gun was the size of a television camera. It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the days of prewar militarism in the 1930s.

Longest-serving PM, known for his 'Abenomics' policy, shot while making campaign speech in Nara.

The head of the Japan Socialist party was assassinated during a speech in 1960 by a rightwing youth with a samurai short sword. In 2007, the mayor of Nagasaki was shot and killed by a yakuza gangster. There were six reported gun deaths in 2014, according to the National Police Agency, and the number rarely exceeds 10, in a country of 126 million people. Citing the return of a chronic bowel complaint that had contributed to the premature end to his first term in office, Abe resigned without presiding over the Games, which was postponed to 2021 due to the pandemic. Abe, the country’s longest-serving prime minister until he resigned in 2020, was flown to hospital by helicopter after the attack. While in office, Abe failed to realise his main political ambition – to revise Japan’s “pacifist” constitution, which prohibits the country from using force to resolve international disputes.

Shinzo Abe, who was shot and killed in a brazen daylight attack today, will be remembered as a giant of Japanese politics who left a remarkable legacy.

However, he quit in 2007 because of an illness called ulcerative colitis. Public support weakened for Mr Abe in 2020 because of his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and a series of scandals, including the arrest of his former justice minister. Mr Abe was also one of the founders of the Quad — a partnership of four countries, including Australia, Japan, the United States and India. A hugely influential figure in Japanese politics, Mr Abe was the father of "Abenomics", one of the founding members of the Quad, and brought the Olympics to Tokyo. He was the son of former foreign minister Shintaro Abe and grandson of former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. Mr Abe was campaigning in the city of Nara when a man shot him in the chest and neck outside a train station about 11:30am local time.

Anthony Albanese has led tributes from Australian leaders to Shinzo Abe after the former Japanese prime minister was...

In many ways, this grouping is a legacy of Mr Abe's diplomatic activism." "Mr Abe was one of Australia's closest friends on the world stage," he said in a statement. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Mr Abe's death was devastating and tragic and offered his sympathies to the former prime minister's family and friends, and to the people of Japan.

Japan's former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has died after being shot earlier on Friday while making a campaign speech.

"The first shot sounded like a toy. "Japan has lost a great prime minister, who dedicated his life to his country and worked to ensure order in the world," Mr Macron posted. The second shot was more visible, you could see the spark and smoke," she added. "His legacy was one of global impact, and a profound and positive one for Australia." "He was giving a speech and a man came from behind," a young woman at the scene told NHK. Mr Abe was in a state of cardio and pulmonary arrest when he arrived at the hospital and never regained his vital signs, Dr Fukushima said.

Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died in hospital after being shot during a campaign event for the country's upcoming upper house ...

The UK stands with you at this dark and sad time." My thoughts are with his family, friends and the Japanese people. "Akie her dear husband and Australia a great friend. Lucy and I send Akie and the Japanese people our deepest sympathy," Mr Turnbull Tweeted. Struck down by an assassin, Abe Shinzo’s powerful positive impact on his country and our region will endure. Japan has lost its most important modern leader, Akie her dear husband and Australia a great friend.

Police tackled and arrested the suspected gunman at the scene of an attack that shocked many in Japan, which is one of the world's safest nations and has some ...

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Shinzo Abe was rushed to hospital “unresponsive” after a man shot twice at him during an election campaign speech.

He said the shooting was “unacceptable” and that he would investigate reports that the shooter was a former member of the nation’s self-defence forces. “Such violence cannot be tolerated, and we condemn it in the heaviest way.” The second shot we could see the gunpowder and a lot of white smoke,” the witness said. “I would imagine that this one was very unusual in that it was able to injure somebody badly.” But just after 2pm, Kishida travelled to his office in Tokyo by helicopter to update reporters that Abe was in a “very grave condition”. “He cared deeply about the Japanese people and dedicated his life to their service. A second shot saw Abe collapse to the ground, before onlookers attempted CPR and Abe was rushed to hospital. “Then I saw the suspect with something larger than a handgun. “This barbaric, malicious act in the middle of an election cannot be tolerated.” The assassin, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami was filmed approaching Abe from behind before firing a homemade shotgun twice in his direction. A second bullet reached the wall of his heart. The former prime minister fought for his life in hospital but died later in the day.

Mr Abe was 67 and was Japan's longest serving Prime Minister. Oly Peterson spoke with freelance journalist Chris Gilbert who is based in Tokyo and says everyone ...

Shinzo Abe defined a generation of Japanese politics. In the prime minister's office and in retirement, he was the hand that guided Japan's Liberal ...

Onlookers could come and go as they pleased while he spoke as if he was on a soap box. When the white smoke billowed out from Yamagami’s first bullet few onlookers appeared to realise a shooting had just begun. Kishida’s government is in the middle of an upper house election campaign that could hand it the necessary numbers to help push through its agenda - including bolstering its defence force capability and economic reform. A successful campaign could also create the momentum needed to see through a revision of the pacifist constitution, a goal Abe never achieved. Believing Japan could once again play a major role on the international stage, he drove through the Trans-Pacific Partnership with Australia, and created the Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy that is now being used by Japan, Australia and America to contain China. He died just a few hours after being shot twice in front of cameras while giving a speech.

Under the "Abenomics" policy, the former prime minister introduced stimulus measures and major reforms.

I believe that's the key to how the new form of capitalism is going to be different from the past," he said. But it failed to reach the point of creating a 'virtuous cycle'. It does, however, warn that economic recovery will be "sluggish". He mounted campaigns to encourage domestic tourism which opponents said contributed to a resurgence in infections. Abenomics did help drive growth, though not at the pace that the country had seen during its post-war boom. Perhaps the most high profile policy of his time in office was "Abenomics", the economic programme that bears his name.

A Martinez speaks with Michael Green, formerly Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about former Japanese Prime Minister ...

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It was all the more shocking given Japan's strict gun laws and low rates of violent crime, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida describing it as a "barbaric act" ...

"He didn't fall and there was a large bang. He was wielding a weapon described by local media as a "handmade gun", and NHK said he told police after his arrest that he "targeted Abe with the intention of killing him". He was a hawkish conservative who pushed for the revision of Japan's pacifist constitution to recognise the country's military and has stayed a prominent political figure even after his resignation. As spectators and reporters ducked, a man was shown being tackled to the ground by security and he was arrested. He earlier abandoned the campaign trail and flew to Tokyo by helicopter where in a quivering voice he condemned "a barbaric act during election campaigning, which is the foundation of democracy." It was all the more shocking given Japan's strict gun laws and low rates of violent crime, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida describing it as a "barbaric act" that was "absolutely unforgivable."

Police say suspect bore a grudge against a 'specific organisation' and believed Abe was part of it.

The United States is Japan’s most important ally. Abe was taken to hospital in cardiopulmonary arrest and showing no vital signs. Yamagami also told police he had learned about Abe’s visit online, the officers said. “This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him … He was a champion of the alliance between our nations and the friendship between our people.” Video shows the moment former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe was shot from behind as he campaigned in the city of Nara. Abe was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. The suspected killer of Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe admitted targeting the politician and said he held a grudge against an organisation he believed Abe was connected to, police have said.

Japan mourns Shinzo Abe on The Spectator Australia | Cruelly gunned down at a political rally, Japan's longest serving Prime Minister lost his life in a…

His love for Japan, and his desire to forge ever-closer bonds with the United Kingdom, were clear. Under Abe, Japan assumed its rightful place as the leading democracy of the western Pacific.’ This is the first assassination of a political leader in Japan since 1960 when Chairman of the Japanese Socialist Party, Inejirō Asanuma, was killed with a sword. This is the very foundation of democracy and yet such an incident took place. By global standards, political violence of this nature is extremely rare in Japan in the period following the second world war. Shinzo collapsed at the scene, clasping his chest before suffering a medical emergency in which his heart stopped.

World leaders express their sadness and outrage at the fatal shooting of Shinzo Abe, describing him as a champion of democracy, a great leader, and a ...

"Mr Abe was a leader in the Indo-Pacific, championing a vision of a free and open region. "Former Prime Minister Abe made contributions towards improving China-Japan relations during his term. French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter that Japan had lost a great leader who had "dedicated his life to his country and worked to ensure order in the world". Mr Bolsonaro described Mr Abe as "a brilliant leader and a great friend of Brazil" and shared on Twitter a picture of him and the former PM. "The tragic death of former Japanese prime minister Abe Shinzo is devastating news … Mr Abe was one of Australia's closest friends on the world stage … Under his leadership Japan emerged as one of Australia's most like-minded partners in Asia — a legacy that endures today," he said. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled Mr Abe as a "giant on the world stage" and one of Australia's closest allies.

The attack in Nara, which reportedly left the 67-year-old unconscious, shocked a nation where gun violence is extremely rare.

Anyone trying to obtain a gun in Japan needs to apply for a permit, attend a class on gun safety and laws, and pass a written test. Last year, 14 of the 17 shootings in Japan were related to the yakuza, according to the National Police Agency. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was campaigning in Yamagata when the shooting occurred, was headed back to Tokyo and canceling campaign events. Abe focused on reviving Japan’s stagnating economy through a package dubbed “Abenomics,” and sought to expand Japan’s military defenses. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno confirmed that Abe was shot around 11:30 a.m. Friday and said the government is working to confirm his condition. “This is truly an unforgivable act of political terrorism,” said Sanae Takaichi, chairwoman of the party’s Policy Research Council and 2021 prime ministerial candidate.

Here are photos from the scene when Japan's former leader, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated while giving a campaign speech.

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Japanese politician who as prime minister had sought to stimulate the economy through the radical monetary policy of Abenomics.

In 1993, he formally entered the family business – politics – when he was elected to the House of Representatives. The seat he took had long been held by his father, a career politician and former minister. Abe’s long struggle to revise the Japanese constitution was often seen as a continuation of a battle that his grandfather championed. In September 2020, he stepped down to become one of the most influential politicians on the back benches, ensuring the succession of his allies Suga and Fumio Kishida into the prime ministership. He lowered the voting age to get young people on board, he launched public relations campaigns against some outmoded phrasing in the document, and he raised the issue after every election win. Yet constitutional revision has long been controversial among a public that has embraced the Peace Article as a part of national identity. Amendment had long been a part of the LDP platform, but Abe went much further than his predecessors to push for changing a document that had not been revised since 1947. When the US pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Abe kept the pact alive, becoming the standard-bearer of the regional alliance. In this new context, the money scandals that continued to dog Abe across his second term were a mere annoyance rather than a real threat. The opposition parties were in disarray, and stalwarts from Abe’s Liberal Democratic party could only cheer when its main rival, the Democratic party of Japan, split in two. What was the secret of his success? The excitement of change and an open future propelled Abe into the global spotlight as he declared, “Japan is back”. When he stepped down as prime minister in 2007 after only a year, most people assumed he would fade into an undistinguished career on the backbenches.

SEOUL — Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated Friday, stunning a nation where gun violence and political attacks are rare.

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Global tributes are pouring in for Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, who has succumbed to his injuries after being shot twice.

He dedicated his life to make Japan and the world a better place." I hope the people of Japan will think about and work hard to protect this democracy." A great man was murdered by a coward. "Today is a dark day. Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the assassination of Mr Abe is shocking and he conveyed his wish for him to "rest in peace". Describing him as a "wonderful person" and "champion of the multilateral world", she called his death by shooting a "brutal and cowardly murder". "Struck down by an assassin, Abe Shinzo's powerful positive impact on his country and our region will endure," he said in a statement on Twitter. "To lose such a figure in this manner is absolutely devastating," he said of Mr Abe. "He was working for peace and stability in Japan and the world." Mr Abe was shot in the back, while participating in the democracy he loved." For this reason, we will continue to fight the election campaign until the very end. "We offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to Mrs Abe and Mr Abe's other family and friends, and to the people of Japan." "Mr Abe was one of Australia's closest friends on the world stage...Under his leadership Japan emerged as one of the Australia's closest and most like-minded partners in Asia - a legacy that endures today."

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI MOURNING FORMER PRIME MINISTER ABE.

Global tributes are pouring in for Japan's longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe, who has succumbed to his injuries after being shot twice.

He dedicated his life to make Japan and the world a better place." I hope the people of Japan will think about and work hard to protect this democracy." A great man was murdered by a coward. "Today is a dark day. Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said the assassination of Mr Abe is shocking and he conveyed his wish for him to "rest in peace". Describing him as a "wonderful person" and "champion of the multilateral world", she called his death by shooting a "brutal and cowardly murder". "To lose such a figure in this manner is absolutely devastating," he said of Mr Abe. "He was working for peace and stability in Japan and the world." "Struck down by an assassin, Abe Shinzo's powerful positive impact on his country and our region will endure," he said in a statement on Twitter. Mr Abe was shot in the back, while participating in the democracy he loved." For this reason, we will continue to fight the election campaign until the very end. "We offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to Mrs Abe and Mr Abe's other family and friends, and to the people of Japan." "Mr Abe was one of Australia's closest friends on the world stage...Under his leadership Japan emerged as one of the Australia's closest and most like-minded partners in Asia - a legacy that endures today."