Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe shot dead, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles pays tribute

Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot while giving a campaign speech. WARNING: GRAPHIC

Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe after gunshots are heard followed by plume of smoke during a campaign event in Nara. Picture: Supplied.

NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles has paid tribute to former prime minister Shinzo Abe who was assassinated on Friday by a gunman who opened fire at close range as the hugely influential politician delivered a campaign speech.

The murder of the 67-year-old, who had been Japan’s longest-serving leader, stunned the nation and prompted an international outpouring of grief and condemnation.

Mr Abe was shot shortly before noon while campaigning in the western region of Nara ahead of weekend upper house elections.

He was flown by helicopter to the Nara Medical University hospital where he was pronounced dead several hours later.

NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles wrote on Facebook: “I first met former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2018.”

“It was November and Mr Abe had travelled to Darwin to honour our regions shared history – the first Japanese Prime Minister to do so since the Bombing of Darwin in 1942,” she wrote.

“He laid a wreath at the Darwin Cenotaph and visited the memorial site of the I-124 submarine at Dripstone Cliffs in acknowledgment of the 80 Japanese submariners who lost their lives those years ago.

“Mr Abe’s visit was historic. A reconciliation of sorts.

“A chance to put past hostilities behind us and pave the way for the respectful, productive and peaceful friendship the Northern Territory and Japan share today.

“There is no doubt the leadership of one person can make a positive difference in this world.

Mr Abe was one such person.

“The world has lost a great leader and the Northern Territory has lost a friend, one that we won’t soon forget.

“As Chief Minister I extend my deepest sympathies to Mr Abe’s family and to the people of Japan.

“I am devastated by today’s events and our thoughts are with you all.

Vale.”

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the incident as a “barbaric act” that was “absolutely unforgivable.”

“Shinzo Abe was transported to (the hospital) at 12:20 pm. He was in a state of cardiac arrest upon arrival,” Hidetada Fukushima, professor of emergency medicine at the hospital, said.

“Resuscitation was administered. However, unfortunately he died at 5:03 pm.”

Fukushima said Abe had suffered two gunshot wounds to the neck and died of massive blood loss, despite being administered enormous transfusions.

A visibly emotional Kishida told reporters after Abe’s death was confirmed that he was “lost for words”.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted he was “shocked and saddened by the tragic death of former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo”.

“He was a great friend and ally to Australia. Deepest sympathies to his family and the people of Japan. We mourn with you,” Mr Albanese stated.

Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Twitter “Japan had lost its most important modern leader, Akie her dear husband and Australia a great friend”.

“Struck down by an assassin, Abe Shinzo’s powerful positive impact on his country and our region will endure,” Mr Turnbull wrote.

“Lucy and I send Akie and the Japanese people our deepest sympathy”.

Other world leaders paid tribute to Mr Shinzo.

“So deeply shocked to hear about the past PM of Japan Shinzo Abe,” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tweeted after news broke he had been shot.

“He was one of the first leaders I met when I became PM. He was deeply committed to his role but also generous & kind. Events like this shake us all to the core.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mourned the slain former premier as a visionary leader who boosted relations between the two allies.

Meeting his Japanese and South Korean counterparts jointly at a G20 meeting in Bali, Blinken called Mr Abe “a leader with great vision” who “brought the relationship between our countries, the United States and Japan, to new heights”.

On the Truth Social platform, former US President Donald Trump described Mr Abe as “a truly great man and leader”.

“This is a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan, who loved and admired him so much.”

NATO Secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said his “thoughts were with him and his family”.

“#NATO stands with the people of our close partner #Japan,” he tweeted after news Mr Abe had been shot.

The Chinese embassy in Japan said it was “shocked” by the shooting.

“During his tenure, former Prime Minister Abe made contributions to the improvement and development of China-Japan relations. We express our condolences on his passing and express sympathy and solicitude for his family,” an embassy spokesperson said.

Gun deaths in Japan are extremely rare, according to Sydney University’s GunPolicy.org website: there were just nine gunshot fatalities in Japan in 2018.

But political assassinations in Japan are not unheard of. Two prime ministers were killed during the 1930s and at least four politicians have been murdered since the end of World War Two.

Abe visited Australia a number of times while he was in power. In 2014 he addressed federal parliament, and he deepened ties with subsequent visits to Sydney in 2017 and Darwin in 2018.

His trip to the Top End marked the first time a Japanese leader visited Darwin since the bombing of 1942.

In 2007 he also proposed the ‘Quad,’ the security grouping of Japan, India, the US and Australia, as a hedge against China’s increasing assertiveness. While detractors were sceptical of the Quad’s worth at first, in more recent years it has been regarded as a cornerstone alliance underpinning regional security.

Mr Abe served as prime minister between 2006 and 2007, before a second term starting in 2012.

In 2020 he stepped down as prime minister, citing health concerns.

Mr Abe said little about what he thought his legacy would be, but he cited one particular point of pride: bringing then-US president Barack Obama to Hiroshima in 2016.

Obama became the first sitting US president to visit the site, where he paid tribute to victims of the world’s first atomic attack, though stopping short of offering an apology for the bombing.

Former PM shot

FORMER Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is fighting for life in hospital after being shot while delivering a speech in Nara, south of Kyoto.

Initial reports suggested the 67-year-old fainted while giving his speech but local media quoted witnesses who said they saw a man come up behind the former Prime Minister and fire two gun shots.

Abe was reportedly unconscious, showing no vital signs, when he was taken to Nara Medical University via helicopter and was seen bleeding from the chest.

In 2018, Mr Abe became the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit Darwin since the two countries clashed over the city in the Bombing of Darwin in World War II.

Mr Abe joined then Australian Prime Minster Scott Morrison to lay wreaths at the Darwin Cenotaph War Memorial at Bicentennial Park.

Shinzo Abe and former Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the Darwin Cenotaph in 2018.

On Friday, Former Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe Tweeted Abe was in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest.

The term is often used in Japan before a death is officially confirmed, reports the BBC.

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

Little is known of the shooter but the Japan Times reported he was 42 and a resident of Nara.

The apparent assassination attempt happened at the Yamato Saidaiji Station while Abe was giving a political stump speech.

Despite stepping down as prime minister in 2020 due to poor health, Abe had maintained a position as a leading political figure in Japan.

Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe lies on the ground after apparent shooting.

Gun deaths in Japan are extremely rare, according to Sydney University’s GunPolicy.org website: there were just nine gunshot fatalities in Japan in 2018.

But political assassinations in Japan are not unheard of. Two Prime Ministers were killed during the 1930s and at least four politicians have been murdered since the end of World War Two.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Tweeted that it was “shocking news”.

“Our thoughts are with his family and the people of Japan at this time,” Mr Albanese stated.

Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Twitter he was “Horrified by this terrible news from Japan”.

“Abe Shinzo is one of the great leaders of our times. Right now we must hope and pray he pulls through.”

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd issued a statement saying “Australians will have a sense of disbelief that this act of apparent political violence could be committed in such a free, open and robust democracy as Japan.”

A man, believed to be a suspect shooting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Yamato Saidaiji Station.

“This apparent assassination attempt provides a sober reminder to all our democracies of how precious our freedoms are.

“An attack on any democratically elected political leader in the world is an attack on supporters of democracy everywhere,” Mr Rudd said.