The Japanese public are terrified after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot while delivering a speech during a political event.
Shinzo Abe was the longest-serving prime minister in Japan serving four times from 2006-2007, 2012-2014, 2014-2017, and 2017-2020. He gravely follows conservatism and was the president of the Liberal Democratic Political party.
Abe’s political career dates back to 1993 when he was elected to the House of Representatives. He became the youngest post-war prime minister after being appointed to the position by National Diet.
The politician is famous for implementing the economic policies in Japan called Abenomics. The policies helped to uplift the economic deflation through quantitative monetary easing and fiscal policies.
What Happened to Shinzo Abe?
The ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe collapsed on the ground after a local shot him from behind during his speech.
Shinzo was giving his campaign speech at the Yamato-Saidaiji Station area in Nara City when the incident happened. At around 11:30 Japanese local time, he was shot in the chest from behind. The campaign was canceled by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida who flew back to Tokyo.
According to the video footage from NHK, Abe appeared to be bleeding from the chest after a gunshot was fired at him. He was rushed to the local hospital in a medical helicopter. The footage showed gun smokes coming from behind the victim.
Japanese Former PM Feared Death After Gravely Shooting
The former PM, Abe was on the verge of death after two gunshots were fired at him.
Shinzo showed no immediate signs of vitality after falling to the ground. According to The Guardian, he was in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest- a state that might lead to death. Abe is still alive but he is in critical condition.
This incident came as a shock to everyone as Japan is one of the most strict countries when it comes to gun and weapon violence. It is quite rare to hear of physical violence in Japan.
However, the news of Shinzo Abe’s murder attempt was devastating for not only the Japanese people but also for the global public. Former US President Donald Trump also tweeted about the incident and extended prayers to him.
Shinzo was shot twice when he was giving a speech about Sunday’s election campaign. He stumbled back after the first shot was missed and the second shot on his left chest led him to fall. Police have arrested a 40 years old local as a suspect in the assassination attempt.
Some eyewitnesses saw a man with a large gun standing far behind the PM. The suspect is Tetsuya Yamagami who is a local resident from Nara.