Japan ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dies after being shot while making speech

- Shinzo Abe, Japan’s former Prime Minister, has passed away after being shot during a campaign speech

- Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, died at the age of 67 from excessive bleeding

- The Nara Medical University hospital doctors said the bullet that killed Abe was "deep enough to reach his heart”

- Earlier, reports say that a 41-year-old male suspect had been arrested at the scene

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe passed away at 67 after being shot on Friday in the central city of Nara.

In a report by Reuters, Abe was making a campaign speech outside a train station when two shots rang out at about 11:30 a.m. (0230 GMT).

It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the days of prewar militarism in the 1930s, Reuters also noted.

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According to CNN, the Nara Medical University hospital said during a press conference that Abe died from excessive bleeding and was pronounced dead at 5:03 p.m. The doctors said the bullet that killed the former Japanese leader was "deep enough to reach his heart" and medical staff were unable to stop the bleeding.

As per Japan public broadcaster NHK, a 41-year-old male suspect, identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, had been arrested at the scene. Police said they seized a gun at the site, which the suspect was apparently holding.

Shinzo Abe is one of the most respected and well-acclaimed Prime Ministers in Japan. He focused his term on reviving his country’s economy through a “policy package” called Abenomics.

In 2016, he had a bilateral meeting with former President Rodrigo Duterte. He said that the Davaoeño politician is quite famous in Japan. “President Duterte, I would like to congratulate you on assuming the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. Mr. President is quite a famous figure also in Japan and I am very excited to see you in person,” said Abe through a translator.

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In August 2020, Abe decided to step down from his post. The said announcement was made amid the country’s battle against the novel coronavirus disease. Health is the main reason why the said chief executive is already resigning at the age of 65.

Source: KAMI.com.gh