Assassination of Shinzo Abe
 | This article documents a recent assassination. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (July 2022) |
| Assassination of Shinzo Abe | |
|---|---|
 Abe was shot near Yamato-Saidaiji Station (pictured here in 2012) | |
 | |
| Location | Near Yamato-Saidaiji Station, Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan |
| Date | 8 July 2022 c. 11:30 JST (UTC+9:00) |
Attack type | Assassination, shooting |
| Weapons | Improvised shotgun[1] |
| Deaths | Shinzo Abe |
On 8 July 2022, Shinzo Abe, former prime minister of Japan, was shot and killed while delivering a campaign speech near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Nara Prefecture, at approximately 11:30 JST (UTC+9).[2][3]
Shooting
On 8 July 2022, Abe was making a speech on behalf of Councillor Kei Satō, a Liberal Democratic Party candidate running for re-election, ahead of upcoming upper house elections scheduled on Sunday, 10 July. Abe was shot at twice from behind with a double-barrelled improvised firearm,[1] possibly a shotgun, and collapsed.[4][5][6]
Abe was initially conscious and communicative right after he was shot. He was transported to a local hospital by an emergency helicopter with a neck wound and internal bleeding under his left chest and was reported to have no vital signs when he arrived at Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara.[2][7][8][6] At a press conference held from 2:45 p.m. JST, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Abe was in a critical condition and that "doctors [were] doing everything they [could]".[9] Abe died at hospital five hours later at 5:03pm JST.[10][11][12]
Suspect
Tetsuya Yamagami (Japanese: 山上徹也), a 41-year-old man from Nara City and a former member of the Maritime Self-Defense Force from 2002 to 2005, was arrested by Nara Prefectural Police on suspicion of attempted murder and was transferred to the Nara West Police Station.[13][14][15] Yamagami told investigators that he was dissatisfied with the former prime minister and intended to kill him.[16]
Aftermath
A crisis management center was established at the prime minister's office.[17] Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who was in Yamagata Prefecture for the election campaign, cancelled his remaining schedule in order to return to Tokyo.[7] All other members of the incumbent cabinet were also called back to Tokyo, with the exception of Foreign Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi who was in Indonesia for G20 meetings, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.[18]
References
- ^ a b Kim, Chang-Ran (7 June 2022). "Shinzo Abe shot while making election speech in Japan". Reuters. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Man taken into custody after former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo collapses". NHK World. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo showing no vital signs after apparently being shot". NHK World. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Japan ex-leader Shinzo Abe apparently shot, in heart failure". Associated Press. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Shinzo Abe, former Japan prime minister, shot during speech – report". TheGuardian.com. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ a b Sim, Walter (8 July 2022). "Japan's ex-PM Shinzo Abe collapses in Nara after being shot, shows no vital signs: Media". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ a b Nakamaru, Ryotaro (7 July 2022). "Former Japan PM Abe Unconscious After Shooting; Man in Custody". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ Tapp, Tom (7 June 2022). "Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Shot & Critically Wounded At Campaign Event, Suspect Arrested". Deadline. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Shinzo Abe shot: former Japan prime minister in critical condition, says PM Kishida – live updates". the Guardian. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "安倍氏は午後5時3分に死亡確認" [Mr. Abe confirmed dead at 5:03pm] (in Japanese). Kyodo News. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Shinzo Abe: Japan's ex-leader dies after being shot - local media". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "安倍晋三元首相死亡 奈良県で演説中に銃で撃たれる" [Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dead, shot while giving a speech in Nara Prefecture]. 日本放送協会 [NHK] (in Japanese). 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unconscious after being shot in Nara". Japan Times. Kyodo News. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ 日本放送協会. "安倍元首相銃撃 41歳男"殺そうと思って狙った"【速報中】 | NHK" [Former Prime Minister Abe Shooter, 41-year-old man, “I intended to kill him.”]. NHKニュース (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "【速報】山上徹也容疑者は元海上自衛隊員 安倍首相、心肺停止" [[Breaking news] Tetsuya Yamagami is a former Maritime Self-Defense Force member Prime Minister Abe, cardiopulmonary arrest]. FNN (in Japanese). Fuji News Network. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "Police: Suspect 'intended to kill' former PM Abe". NHK. NHK. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ Rich, Motoko; Dooley, Ben (8 July 2022). "Suspect Is in Custody After Shinzo Abe Is Wounded". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
- ^ "東京に戻るよう閣僚に指示と官房長官" [Directed ministers to come back to Tokyo - Chief Cabinet Secretary] (in Japanese). Kyodo News. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
