Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe Confirmed Dead; Modi Announces One-Day National Mourning

Photo courtesy Twitter

Tokyo: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been confirmed dead after he was shot at a campaign event on Friday, public broadcaster NHK and Jiji news agency reported.

“According to a senior LDP (Liberal Democratic Party) official, former prime minister Abe died at a hospital in Kashihara city, Nara region, where he was receiving medical treatment. He was 67,” NHK said.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a day’s mourning on July 9 as a mark of respect for the departed leader.

Abe was delivering a speech at an event ahead of Sunday’s Upper House elections when he was shot at, NHK and the Kyodo news agency said. Abe (67) collapsed and was bleeding from the neck.

He was showing no vital signs and was airlifted to hospital.

A man in his 40s has been arrested and a gun confiscated from him, national broadcaster NHK said.

“Former prime minister Abe was shot at around 11:30 am in Nara. One man, believed to be the shooter, has been taken into custody,” chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.