Two shotgun blasts killed former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. This Friday, Japan, —one of the safest countries in the world— dressed in mourning when he saw the candidate of the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) fall in the middle of an electoral act. The fact provoked the surprise and condemnation of heads of state around the world.
MIRA: LIVE | Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe assassinated while he was giving a speech
Abe, 67, was shot while giving a campaign speech in Nara prefecture, western Japan. After the attack, he was taken by helicopter to a hospital, where he arrived in serious condition and where he died hours later. Police arrested a suspected assailant in the place of the events.
The attack caused a stir in one of the safest countries in the world, with some of the strictest gun control laws, and also among the leaders with whom he shared his nine years in power (from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020).
MIRA: The moment when former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is shot during a campaign rally | VIDEO
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson He called the shooting “negligible”. “His global leadership in unknown times will be remembered by many. My thoughts are with his family, his friends and the Japanese people. The UK is with you at this dark and sad time.”, Tweeted Johnson, who resigned from his position yesterday, but will remain in power until the Conservative Party chooses his successor.
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinklamented the loss of a “visionary leader”. In a meeting with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea during a G-20 meeting in Bali, Indonesia, the US diplomat stressed that Abe had “led relations” between the United States and Japan, “at the highest level”.
MIRA: Shinzo Abe: Japanese Government Condemns Shotgun Attack Against Former Prime Minister
“We are shocked and saddened to learn of the violent attack once morest former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe”, the White House had pronounced earlier.
For her part, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyencondemned the “brutal and cowardly murder” of Abe, whom he defined as “a fantastic person” y “a great democrat”, while the head of the European Council, Charles Michelsaid: “I will never understand the brutal death of this great man”.
“Japan has lost a great prime minister, who dedicated his life to his country and worked to ensure order in the world.”, said the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
the russian president Vladimir Putin sent a condolence telegram to Shinzo Abe’s mother and widow: “I wish you (…) courage in the face of this great irreparable loss”, Said the Russian president, according to a statement from the Kremlin.
“Beautiful memories of this remarkable man will remain forever in the hearts of those who knew him”, stressed Putin.
Earlier, the Russian government said “deeply saddened” for the former premier’s death, praising him as a “patriot” and condemning “strongly this attack”.
Iran He also called the shooting of “an act of terrorism”. “As a country that has been a victim of terrorism and has lost great leaders to terrorists, we follow the news closely and with concern.” said the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Earlier, the chinese government said to be “shocked” for the attack and had hoped Abe would be out of harm’s way.
In Argentinathe Government expressed its condolences through the Foreign Ministry, which issued a message on Twitter: “Argentina expresses its most sincere condolences to the Government of Japan and to the family of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who died following being the victim of a firearm attack. We accompany the people of Japan in this difficult time”.
For his part, former President Mauricio Macri shared a photo with the ex-premier and manifested “dismayed”. “[Abe] He was a great man, a great friend of Argentina and an excellent leader. What madness so much violence“, wrote.
AP and AFP agencies.
