New Delhi: According to local media, Japanese police have identified the suspect arrested on Friday for shooting former prime minister Shinzo Abe as 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, a resident of the city of Nara. Local media reported that police had taken the attacker into custody and recovered a gun from the scene. Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, citing police, said the suspected shooter is being held for questioning at Nara Nishi police station and appears to have made the gun himself.
According to the report of news agency ANI, when the police officers were apprehending the attacker, the man did not try to run away. Abe’s attacker is believed to have worked for the Maritime Self-Defense Force for three years until about 2005.
Earlier today, 67-year-old Abe was taken to hospital after collapsing at 11.30 am (local time) during a campaign speech in the western Japanese city of Nara ahead of Sunday’s election to Japan’s upper house of parliament.
Why did Tetsuya Yamagami shoot Shinzo Abe?
Local reports suggest that the suspect decided to kill Abe because he disagreed with his policies. According to the NHK report, police are now saying that Yamagami told investigators that she had a grudge against Abe and decided to kill him. Meanwhile, police have found explosives from Tetsuya Yamagami’s house.
How was former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe assassinated?
Initial media reports, citing officials, said it appeared Abe was shot in the chest and described the former PM’s condition as “cardiopulmonary arrest”. Japanese police said it appeared Abe was shot from behind with a shotgun, the Kyodo news agency said. Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, citing police sources, said Abe was conscious and reactive when taken to hospital after a possible shooting.
Local media reported that Abe was campaigning for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate in this Sunday’s House of Councilors election when people at the scene heard gunshots twice.
Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, stepped down in 2020 citing health reasons. He was the Prime Minister of Japan twice, from 2006–07 and again from 2012–20. He was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga and later by Fumio Kishida.
(with agency input)