One person was injured after an explosive device was thrown at <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/japan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Japanese</a> Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a campaign event on Saturday. 
Kishida, who was campaigning in western Japan, was not injured in the attack, but a police officer did receive treatment for some minor injuries, according to The Associated Press. Investigators have not yet announced a motive, but police did detain a young man who they tackled to the ground shortly after “the suspicious object” was thrown toward Kishida.
Prior to Saturday’s attack, Kishida was set to give a speech in the city of Wakayama in support of a candidate for local office. Footage of the attack shows Japanese police detaining the suspect while a loud explosion can be heard. After the bang, people scream and run away while white smoke can be seen rising from where the explosion went off. Video appeared to show bystanders grabbing the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/14/world/asia/japan-prime-minister-blast-fumio-kishida.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspect, who is</a> a 24-year-old named Kimura. Some have speculated that the object thrown could have been a smoke bomb. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Japanese PM Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed after what appeared to be a smoke bomb was thrown at him while he was on a campaign trail in western Japan <a href="https://t.co/v6sfftIBO6">https://t.co/v6sfftIBO6</a> <a href="https://t.co/PgbSCsQ59F">pic.twitter.com/PgbSCsQ59F</a>
&mdash; Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) <a href="https://twitter.com/AJEnglish/status/1647238482283118593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“We are holding an important election for our country, and we must work together with all of you to see it through,” Kishida said after the attack as his party, the Liberal Democrats, announced that they would continue to hold campaign events before upcoming elections.
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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed after someone threw an explosive device at a campaign event in western Japan. Police subdued a man at the scene <a href="https://t.co/q7U9WXf0mR">https://t.co/q7U9WXf0mR</a> <a href="https://t.co/0nakpBIPiA">pic.twitter.com/0nakpBIPiA</a>
&mdash; Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1647259735622598656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“Elections are the core of democracy, and we should never tolerate threats or obstruction by violence,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno. 
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The explosive attack occurred less than one year after former Japanese <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-former-japanese-pm-shinzo-abe-feared-dead-after-being-shot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated</a> while campaigning in western Japan. Abe, a center-Right politician, was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister since WWII, serving between 2012 and 2020. 
Tetsuya Yamagami, who allegedly shot Abe in July with a homemade gun, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/murder-charge-for-man-who-allegedly-killed-ex-japanese-prime-minister-with-homemade-gun" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will stand</a> trial for murder and a gun charge, according to the Nara District Court. The charges come after a lengthy mental examination to determine whether Yamagami could be tried.
The date for the trial has not yet been set, but both a panel of civil jurors and bench judges are expected to preside over the courtroom. A conviction could lead to the death penalty, although experts say a life sentence is more likely.
According to police, Yamagami has said that the killing was motivated by Abe’s alleged ties to the Unification Church. Yamagami disliked the church because of his mother’s large financial donations to it, and its influence on the public square is controversial in Japan.
Yamagami could also be hit with additional weapon and explosive charges, as well as charges relating to building damages.
Diplomats from the G7 Nations will be meeting in Japan on Sunday to discuss the Russia-Ukraine War, China, and North Korea.

PM Kishida Makes Election Speech After Explosion Incident

One Injured After Japanese Prime Minister Targeted By Explosive, Suspect In Custody

Explosion

Global Politics

Japan

Shinzo Abe

World

The man accused of assassinating former Japanese Prime Minister <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/shinzo-abe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shinzo Abe</a> has been charged with murder, months after Abe was shot while giving a campaign speech in western <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/japan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Japan</a>.
Tetsuya Yamagami, who allegedly shot Abe in July with a homemade gun, will stand trial for murder and a gun charge, according to the Nara District Court. The charges come after a lengthy mental examination to determine whether Yamagami could be tried.
The date for the trial has not yet been set, but both a panel of civil jurors and bench judges are expected to preside over the courtroom. A conviction could lead to the death penalty, although experts say a life sentence is more likely, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/shinzo-abe-assassination-suspect-charged-murder-more-than-six-months-later/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CBS News.
According to police, Yamagami has said that the killing was motivated by Abe’s alleged ties to the Unification Church. Yamagami disliked the church because of his mother’s large financial donations to it, and its influence on the public square is controversial in Japan.
Yamagami could also be hit with additional weapon and explosive charges, as well as charges relating to building damages.
Tomoaki Onizuka, the police chief of Nara, the city where Abe was assassinated, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-chief-accepts-responsibility-after-shocking-assassination-admits-guilt-regret" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took responsibility</a> for the security problems that allowed the popular leader to be killed.
“It is undeniable that there were problems with the security for former prime minister Abe, and we will immediately identify the problems and take appropriate measures to resolve them,” Onizuka said.
“After the first report of the incident came at 11:30 a.m., and the situation was revealed, it was the height of the guilt and regret I’ve felt in my 27 years in law enforcement,” he <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/shinzo-abe-assassination-japans-police-chief-tomoaki-onizuka-takes-responsibility-for-security-failures" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>. “I feel the weight of my responsibility.”
Abe was the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history and was widely praised by world leaders with whom he had worked during his tenure.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said the nation had lost a “close friend.” Abe was vocal in recent years about the need to support Taiwan.
“Not only has the international community lost an important leader, but Taiwan has also lost an important and close friend. Taiwan and Japan are both democratic countries with the rule of law, and our government severely condemns violent and illegal acts,” Tsai stated.
President Joe Biden, as well as former President Donald Trump, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/intolerable-criminal-act-world-leaders-shocked-by-assassination-of-japans-longest-serving-prime-minister" target="_blank" rel="noopener">both commented</a> on the assassination.
“This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him. I had the privilege to work closely with Prime Minister Abe,” Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/08/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-killing-of-former-japanese-prime-minister-abe-shinzo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “The longest serving Japanese Prime Minister, his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will endure. Above all, he cared deeply about the Japanese people and dedicated his life to their service.”
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-former-japanese-pm-shinzo-abe-feared-dead-after-being-shot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> the news “devastating” and said it was “a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan, who loved and admired him so much.”

President Obama Meets With Japanese P.M. Shinzo Abe In Hawaii

Murder Charge For Man Who Allegedly Killed Ex-Japanese Prime Minister With Homemade Gun

assassination

General

Now that the nation of Japan has laid to rest its longest-serving prime minister, it’s worth reflecting on the reprehensible conduct of America’s elite in the immediate aftermath of his assassination.
Few spectacles have done as much to damage what little dignity the United States currently possesses on the world stage as the reaction of our presumed best and brightest to the death of Shinzo Abe. From start to finish, both the establishment media and the Biden administration seemed intent on insulting the Japanese people in their moment of mourning.
First, there was the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/media-blasted-for-coverage-on-assassination-of-former-japanese-pm-shinzo-abe">offensive coverage</a> from the cream of our journalistic crop.
On the same day as Abe&#8217;s shooting, NPR, ostensibly the most sophisticated of the legacy outlets, seemed entirely unfamiliar with art of diplomacy or even the most basic etiquette rule that cautions us against speaking ill of the dead. After describing him as a “divisive arch-conservative” sparked outrage, the publicly funded outlet replaced that social media post with another that labeled him an “ultra-nationalist.” One wonders what scary sounding superlatives they might have turned to if that announcement, too, had drawn sufficient ire to require memory holing.
The AP and ABC seemed to crib NPR’s work, respectively deeming Abe an “arch-conservative” and “divisive archconservative.&#8221; One almost has to give CBS credit for at least finding their own way to offend, calling the most beloved Japanese politician of the modern era a “controversial” and “polarizing…right-wing nationalist.”
Compared to these intentional slights, NBC’s bumbling in showing a Korean rather than Japanese flag in a Today Show segment devoted to Abe’s death seemed like a tribute.
Had the media treated the passing of other world leaders to similarly harsh judgment, their descriptions of Abe might be somewhat forgivable. But they have no such excuse. A quick glance through the annals of international obituaries yields something that reads close to admiration for terrorists and oppressors, with The Washington Post describing terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as an “<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=washington+post+austere+cleric&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS893US893&amp;oq=washington+post+austere+cleric&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j33i160.4806j0j15&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">austere cleric</a>” and NPR labeling communist dictator Fidel Castor a “<a href="https://www.npr.org/2016/11/26/6631562/former-cuban-leader-fidel-castro-dies-at-age-90">prominent international figure</a>” and Yasser Arafat a “<a href="https://www.npr.org/2004/11/11/4129396/palestinian-leader-yasser-arafat-dies-at-75">peacemaker</a>.” Despot Hugo Chavez’s socialist policies might have resulted in famine and disease, yet the AP nevertheless commemorated him as a “fiery Venezuelan leader.”
While the Biden Administration managed to avoid the media’s outright insults, the President behaved only slightly less boorishly, using his condolences as an opportunity to sneak in a plug for Democrats’ domestic cause-du-jour: gun control. “We know that violent attacks are never acceptable and that gun violence always leaves a deep scar on the communities that are affected by it,” he <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/08/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-killing-of-former-japanese-prime-minister-abe-shinzo/">said</a>.
Whether it is person to person or nation to nation, the keys to providing comfort after the loss of a loved one are to not make the moment about yourself and to focus on the life and legacy of the one who is gone. On both counts, Biden and the media failed spectacularly.
Instead of memorializing Abe as they should — as a staunch defender of democracy, whose diplomatic skill proved to be his own nation and Taiwan’s best defense against their imperialist superpower neighbor — the White House and the press used him as cipher for their political grievances. Words like nationalist, right-wing, and archconservative seemed intended to turn him into a sort of Trumpian specter that could not be less connected to the persuasive, elegant, and, most of all, well-liked figure he was among his ruling peers.
It is a testament to Abe&#8217;s unerring social acumen that Both Barack Obama and Donald Trump have, in the last few days, remembered him with what seems genuine warmth and esteem. Obama recalled him as a man &#8220;devoted to both the country he served and the extraordinary alliance between the United States and Japan.&#8221; Trump commented, &#8220;Few people know what a great man and leader Shinzo Abe was, but history will teach them.&#8221; India&#8217;s Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared his death a national day of mourning.
And yet, unlike so many Western leaders, Abe&#8217;s appeal to his contemporaries did not come at the expense of his nation&#8217;s interests. He was a tireless advocate on behalf of his country. The mastermind of the Quad alliance — a four-nation security coalition that also included India, Australia, and the U.S. — his accomplishment in bolstering the region&#8217;s security blunted China’s economic and military aggression. The cheers of Chinese nationalists at his death stand as a testimony to his effectiveness in leveraging the power of his friends to fend off the CCP’s advances in the Indo-Pacific.
Domestically Abe’s record was much spottier, with his &#8220;Abenomics&#8221; failing to revive Japan&#8217;s stagnating economy or boost its flagging labor market. But it certainly deserved more focus than a Second Amendment swipe that had nothing whatsoever to do with his failures or accomplishments.
Now that Japan and the world have said their final farewells to Shinzo Abe, the time has come to take the administration and the media to account for their appalling slights against one of our nation&#8217;s longest-serving and most-reliable allies. Abe deserved better. Japan deserved better. We, the American people, deserved better.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

ITALY-JAPAN-DIPLOMACY

Elites Embarrass America On World Stage Following Abe Assassination

Biden Administration

Readers Pass

The head of the police in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/japan">Japanese</a> city where former Prime Minister <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/shinzo-abe">Shinzo Abe</a> was assassinated said that he takes ‘responsibility’ for the security problems that allowed the popular leader to be killed. 
Tomoaki Onizuka, police chief in Nara, told reporters that it was the worst feeling he has ever had in his career and that police were already looking at the mistakes in securing the area where Abe was giving a political speech for a parliamentary candidate seeking re-election. He <a href="https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/shinzo-abe-japan-assassination-07-09-22-intl-hnk/h_81952859b06498241d380843f47ee0ab">said</a> that he “take[s] responsibility” for the incident. 
“It is undeniable that there were problems with the security for former prime minister Abe, and we will immediately identify the problems and take appropriate measures to resolve them,” Onizuka said. 
“After the first report of the incident came at 11:30 a.m., and the situation was revealed, it was the height of the guilt and regret I’ve felt in my 27 years in law enforcement,” he <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/shinzo-abe-assassination-japans-police-chief-tomoaki-onizuka-takes-responsibility-for-security-failures">added</a>. “I feel the weight of my responsibility.”
Police are still investigating the stunning assassination and the motive behind it. They <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/07/08/motive-revealed-in-assassination-of-japans-ex-pm-shinzo-abe/">say</a> that early evidence suggests that the suspected killer, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, was not politically motivated. They pointed to a link Yamagami had made between the Abe and a &#8216;&#8221;specific organization.&#8221;
The name or further details about the “specific organization” police cited has not yet been revealed while authorities continue to investigate. However, sources have told the Japanese newspaper The Mainichi that the group in question was religious in nature. 
Sources <a href="https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220709/p2a/00m/0na/004000c">told</a> the paper that the suspect &#8220;targeted Abe out of resentment” and that he &#8220;intended to kill Abe&#8221; because he alleged his mom gave a substantial amount of money to a religious group he linked Abe with. 
He also apparently told police that he knew where Abe would be because of an announcement on the website of the candidate the former prime minister was speaking alongside. 
&#8220;I learned of Abe&#8217;s campaign speech on the [candidate&#8217;s] website. I went to the site by train,&#8221; Yamagami said, according to one source. A gun used by the suspect was homemade, according to the police. 
The assassination shocked world leaders as many called Abe a friend and praised him for his diplomacy with Taiwan&#8217;s President Tsai Ing-wen, saying the nation had lost a “close friend.” Abe was vocal in recent years about the need to support Taiwan.
“Not only has the international community lost an important leader, but Taiwan has also lost an important and close friend. Taiwan and Japan are both democratic countries with the rule of law, and our government severely condemns violent and illegal acts,” Tsai stated.

National Defense Academy Holds Graduation Ceremony As The Coronavirus Continues To Spread

Police Chief Accepts ‘Responsibility’ After Shocking Assassination, Admits ‘Guilt’, ‘Regret’

Police

Multiple legacy media <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mainstream-media">outlets</a> were slammed Friday for their coverage of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-former-japanese-pm-shinzo-abe-feared-dead-after-being-shot">assassination</a>.
Taxpayer-funded NPR was criticized after <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/07/08/npr-called-ex-japan-pm-shinzo-abe-divisive-arch-conservative/">describing</a> Abe as a “divisive arch-conservative” in a now-deleted tweet, and NBC’s “Today” show was blasted after it showed flags from the wrong country during their segment on Abe’s assassination.
&#8220;When Fidel Castro died, NPR called him a ‘prominent international figure,’” former Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMarkWalker/status/1545435707057004547">tweeted</a>. “On Yasser Arafat’s death ‘a freedom fighter.’ On Prime Minister’s [Abe]’s assassination, NPR’s statement: ‘a divisive arch-conservative and an ultranationalist.’ Brought to you by your US tax dollars.”
In a headline that remains unchanged, ABC News mirrors NPR’s language, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/shinzo-abe-divisive-powerful-japan-pm-assassinated-86438692">referring</a> to Abe as a “divisive archconservative.” <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/07/08/npr-called-ex-japan-pm-shinzo-abe-divisive-arch-conservative/?utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=NYPTwitter">According</a> to the New York Post, The Associated Press also used the same language in multiple photos to describe the former world leader.
While some legacy news outlets were criticized for their controversial descriptions of Abe in the hours after his death, NBC’s “Today” show made people’s eyes roll with an embarrassing blunder. In the “Today” show’s segment on Abe Friday morning, it briefly showed a clip of South Korean flags, highlighting the wrong Asian country.
&#8220;@NBC&#8217;s @Todayshow played footage featuring South Korean flags while discussing the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday,” the Washington Examiner’s Julia Johnson <a href="https://twitter.com/juliaajohnson_/status/1545458141579575301">wrote</a>.
Twitter users were quick to pile on the &#8220;Today&#8221; show for its mistake.
“Ummmm, wrong country, @TODAYshow,” Newsbusters Managing Editor Curtis Houck wrote along with a screenshot of the news outlet’s blunder. “@NBCNews, your morning show has some issues with keeping the countries in Asia straight.”
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Ummmm, wrong country, <a href="https://twitter.com/TODAYshow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TODAYshow</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCNews</a>, your morning show has some issues with keeping the countries in Asia straight. <a href="https://t.co/0UngDDpVb3">pic.twitter.com/0UngDDpVb3</a>
&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1545401143894937600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Wow! Now THAT&#8217;s embarrassing! @NBCNews @TODAYshow televised the Tokyo Olympics just over a year ago and already they&#8217;ve forgotten what the Japanese flag looks like. Hint: That&#8217;s the flag of South Korea,” another Twitter user <a href="https://twitter.com/SoquelCreek/status/1545472600364634113">pointed out</a>.
Abe, the longest serving prime minister in Japan since World War II, was gunned down Friday while giving a speech. The Right-leaning former leader of America’s ally went into cardiac arrest and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-former-japanese-pm-shinzo-abe-feared-dead-after-being-shot">died</a> five hours after being shot.
President Joe Biden, along with former presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama, said they were deeply <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/intolerable-criminal-act-world-leaders-shocked-by-assassination-of-japans-longest-serving-prime-minister">saddened</a> by Abe’s death.
“This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him. I had the privilege to work closely with Prime Minister Abe,” Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/08/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-killing-of-former-japanese-prime-minister-abe-shinzo/">said</a>. “The longest serving Japanese Prime Minister, his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will endure. Above all, he cared deeply about the Japanese people and dedicated his life to their service.”

Today Show

Media Blasted For Coverage On Assassination Of Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe

News Outlets Blasted For Coverage On Assassinated Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe

Mainstream Media

National Public Radio (NPR)

TODAY Show

World leaders responded with anger and surprise following the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/shinzo-abe">Shinzo Abe</a>, who was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/japan">Japan</a>’s longest serving prime minister. 
Abe, 67, was giving a campaign speech in western Japan when he was shot, and later died from his wounds. The 41-year-old man suspected of killing Abe has been arrested. Abe was giving a speech for a candidate running for re-election in parliament. 
Many world leaders responded to the news calling Abe a friend and praising him for his diplomacy. Tsai Ing-wen, president of Taiwan, said that the nation had lost a “close friend.”
&#8220;Not only has the international community lost an important leader, but Taiwan has also lost an important and close friend. Taiwan and Japan are both democratic countries with the rule of law, and our government severely condemns violent and illegal acts,&#8221; Tsai stated. 
During his political career, Abe had been vocal about the need for the U.S. and Japan to support Taiwan, drawing ire from many in China. 
“A Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency, and therefore an emergency for the Japan-U.S. alliance. People in Beijing, President Xi Jinping in particular, should never have a misunderstanding in recognizing this,” the former prime minister <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/01/japan-us-could-not-stand-by-if-china-attacked-taiwan-shinzo-abe-.html">said</a> back in December.
Other Asian leaders, including those in China, commented on the attack.
“This unexpected incident should not be linked with China-Japan relations,” Chinese spokesman Zhao Lijian said, adding that the country was “shocked.” 
Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-08/china-says-it-hopes-abe-is-out-of-danger-and-recovers-soon">reported</a> that many in China were reportedly celebrating the news, with one social media user saying, “Let the celebrations begin!” following Abe’s death.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called the assassination an “intolerable criminal act.&#8221;
In India, a day of mourning has been announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remember Abe.
“Mr. Abe made an immense contribution to elevating India-Japan relations to the level of a special strategic and global partnership. Today, whole India mourns with Japan and we stand in solidarity with our Japanese brothers and sisters in this difficult moment,” he said.
Iran called the assassination an “act of terrorism.”
“As a country that has been a victim of terrorism and has lost great leaders to terrorists, we are following the news closely and with concern,” a spokesperson for the Iran Foreign Ministry said. 
President Joe Biden, as well as former presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama, all commented on the assassination.
&#8220;This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him. I had the privilege to work closely with Prime Minister Abe,” Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/08/statement-by-president-biden-on-the-killing-of-former-japanese-prime-minister-abe-shinzo/">said</a>. “The longest serving Japanese Prime Minister, his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will endure. Above all, he cared deeply about the Japanese people and dedicated his life to their service.”
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-former-japanese-pm-shinzo-abe-feared-dead-after-being-shot">called</a> the news “devastating” and said it was “a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan, who loved and admired him so much.”
Obama <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1545389002664067072">said</a> he was “shocked and saddened” by the news of Abe’s assassination.
&nbsp;

File: Ex-Japan Leader Abe Assassinated in Shooting That Shocks Nation

‘Intolerable Criminal Act’: World Leaders Shocked By Assassination Of Japan’s Longest Serving Prime Minister

World Leaders Respond To Assassination Of Shinzo Abe

China

Taiwan

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot on Friday while delivering a speech in the western city of Nara.
Abe was reportedly unconscious, unresponsive, and showing no vital signs as he was being transported to the hospital following the attack. Abe, the country’s longest-serving prime minister before resigning two years ago, was pronounced dead a short time later.
Government sources, cited in various media reports, initially described Abe&#8217;s condition at Nara Medical University Hospital as critical, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/07/japan-shinzo-abe-shot-nara-attack/">according</a> to The Washington Post. The man who allegedly shot Abe told local police that he was &#8220;frustrated&#8221; with him and that he hoped to kill him.
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The man who shot former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has told police that he was &quot;frustrated&quot; with him and that he had hoped to kill him. 
Per NHK
&mdash; Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) <a href="https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1545283981444206592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;This is a despicable and barbaric act that occurred in the midst of an election which is the foundation of democracy and absolutely cannot be tolerated,&#8221; Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. &#8220;We condemn it in the harshest possible terms. We will take all possible measures to prepare for every possible situation.&#8221;
The White House released a statement condemning the attack, adding, &#8220;We are closely monitoring the reports and keeping our thoughts with his family and the people of Japan.&#8221;
The statement from the White House came after former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence issued statements about the shooting.
&#8220;Absolutely devastating news that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, a truly great man and leader, has been shot, and is in very serious condition,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;He was a true friend of mine and, much more importantly, America. This is a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan, who loved and admired him so much. We are all praying for Shinzo and his beautiful family!&#8221;
&#8220;.@KarenPence and I were deeply troubled to learn of the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,&#8221; Pence tweeted. &#8220;Abe-san was a remarkable leader of Japan and an unshakeable ally of the U.S. We join millions praying for this truly good man and his family. God bless Shinzo Abe.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/KarenPence?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KarenPence</a> and I were deeply troubled to learn of the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Abe-san was a remarkable leader of Japan and an unshakeable ally of the U.S. We join millions praying for this truly good man and his family. God bless Shinzo Abe <a href="https://t.co/ojTYkOZxe8">pic.twitter.com/ojTYkOZxe8</a>
&mdash; Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence/status/1545272693032878082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Abe, a center-right politician, became Japan&#8217;s longest-serving prime minister since WWII, serving between 2012 and 2020.

Japan Imposes State Of Emergency To Contain The Coronavirus Pandemic

Ex-Japanese PM Shinzo Abe Assassinated While Giving Speech

Shooting

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, 65, announced Friday that he will resign because health reasons, ending his nearly eight years in office. 
Abe, who recently visited the hospital on two occasions, said Friday evening local time that he was resigning due to a relapse of a bowel condition, which previously prompted him to resign during his first term in office back in 2007, reports <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/28/world/asia/shinzo-abe-resign-japan.html?action=click&amp;module=Top%20Stories&amp;pgtype=Homepage">The New York Times</a>. 
Yoshihide Suga, the prime minister’s chief cabinet secretary, had recently suggested Abe didn’t have any intentions of leaving office, which he had held for multiple terms since 2012. 
“The prime minister himself has said he would like to work hard again from now on, and I’m seeing him every day,” said Suga, who also remarked at the time that the prime minister&#8217;s health &#8220;remains unchanged,&#8221; reports the Times. 
According to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/shinzo-abe-to-resign-as-japanese-pm-due-to-health-concerns-local-media-says-11598592532">The Wall Street Journal</a>, Abe recently “spent 7½ hours at a Tokyo hospital on Aug. 17 for what he said were tests,” and returned “for nearly four hours on Aug. 24, saying he was getting a report on the test results. He didn’t say what the tests showed.”
In a statement after his recent hospital visit but before his resignation, Abe said that he has “fully devoted myself every day to realizing the pledges I have made to the people,” reports <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/08/889dbb98f810-abe-sets-record-for-consecutive-days-in-office-eclipsing-sato.html">Kyodo News</a>. 
Abe, who just became the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history, previously served in the position back in 2006 and 2007. He abruptly resigned abruptly about a year later, in part, because of a flare-up of ulcerative colitis, according to The New York Times. 
The <a href="https://apnews.com/23a3685932db83a826360280e5e5435f">Associated Press</a> reports that Abe was diagnosed with the condition in his teens, but had been able to control it with medical treatment. 
Japan went through five different prime ministers in the interim years between Abe’s first resignation and his eventual reclaiming of the prime minister position in 2012.
According to AP, Abe prioritized a “nationalistic” agenda in his first term as prime minister, but when he returned to the office several years later, he shifted his focus to economic measures and improved a “security alliance” with the United States. 
The New York Times reports that Abe “oversaw Japan’s recovery from a devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster, restored a semblance of economic health,” in addition to also developing a professional relationship with President Donald Trump. 
Back in May, the Japanese government announced that Abe and Trump had spoken on the phone for a little less than an hour about coronavirus measures and treatments in their respective countries, and “agreed to continue their tight cooperation,” according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-japan-usa/abe-trump-agree-to-cooperate-on-steps-to-fight-coronavirus-idUSKBN22K0B3">Reuters</a>. 
“Two leaders exchanged views on each country’s COVID-19 situation, steps to prevent further spread of the virus, development of medicine and vaccines and measures for reopening the economies,” said Suga at the time.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe News Conference

Japanese Prime Minister Resigns Over Health Reasons

President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday that he wasn&#8217;t &#8220;disturbed&#8221; by a series of North Korean short-range missile tests conducted last week, despite concerns that the tests violate both United Nations restrictions and an informal agreement inked between North Korea and the United States last year.
Trump tweeted about the tests Saturday, calling the missiles &#8220;small weapons,&#8221; and focusing instead on North Korea&#8217;s comments about former vice president and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, &amp; also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Biden a low IQ individual, &amp; worse. Perhaps that&#8217;s sending me a signal?
&#8212; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1132459370816708608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
&#8220;North Korea fired off some small weapons, which disturbed some of my people, and others, but not me. I have confidence that Chairman Kim will keep his promise to me, &amp; also smiled when he called Swampman Joe Biden a low IQ individual, &amp; worse. Perhaps that&#8217;s sending me a signal?&#8221; Trump tweeted.
The statement runs counter to his administration&#8217;s official position on the tests. On Saturday, National Security Adviser John Bolton told media that he had &#8220;no doubt&#8221; that the tests were in violation of United Nations regulations and that North Korea should be held responsible, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/25/politics/john-bolton-north-korea-missile-un/index.html">according to CNN</a>.
&#8220;The U.N. Security Council resolution prohibits the launch of any ballistic missiles and there is no doubt that North Korea has violated the resolution,&#8221; Bolton told reporters.
North Korea resumed short- and long-range missile tests earlier this month, its first since 2017, before it began actively negotiating with the Trump administration to end sanctions across the board and resume normal relations with western nations.
White House staff wrote off allegations that the president was actively contradicting his own top advisers by saying that North Korea&#8217;s new efforts aren&#8217;t, in fact, disturbing, by indicating that Trump was simply agreeing with North Korean state television&#8217;s accompanying comments about Biden, calling the former VP&#8217;s comments, critical of North Korea, a &#8220;sophism of an imbecile bereft of elementary quality as a human being, let alone a politician.&#8221;
&#8220;I think they agree in their assessment of former Vice President Joe Biden,&#8221; White House press secretary<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-northkorea-trump-biden/trump-agrees-with-north-korean-leader-kim-on-biden-white-house-idUSKCN1SW0HQ"> Sarah Huckabee Sanders told NBC&#8217;s Meet the Press</a> Sunday morning. &#8220;The president doesn&#8217;t need somebody else to give him an assessment of Joe Biden. He&#8217;s given his own assessment a number of times.&#8221;
Biden&#8217;s campaign responded by saying that Trump had been tricked into making concessions to North Korea.
Typically, the back-and-forth between Trump and his advisers, and his off-the-cuff social media remarks wouldn&#8217;t have immediate or catastrophic consequences, but this week Trump is on a state visit to Japan and engaging in a series of meetings with Japan&#8217;s prime minister, Shinzo Abe.
Japan is deeply concerned about North Korea, given that the country is within targeting range. Abe agreed with Bolton, telling reporters over the weekend that he also believes North Korea&#8217;s recent missile tests are in violation of United Nations resolutions and that he would like to see North Korea discontinue their attacks. The United States and Japan haven&#8217;t agreed on an approach to North Korea, but Bolton said he would be encouraging Japanese diplomats to return to talks with North Korea.
Trump and Shinzo Abe will discuss &#8220;making sure the integrity of the Security Council resolutions are maintained&#8221; during meetings on Monday.

President Trump Contradicts Nat-Sec Adviser, Says North Korean Missile Tests Don’t ‘Disturb’ Him

North Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe fell head over heels backward into a sand bunker in hilarious fashion while playing golf with President Donald Trump on Sunday.
Trump and Abe were playing at Kasumigaseki Country Club when the prime minister had the embarrassing fall, the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5064933/Japanese-PM-fell-golf-course-Trump.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailus">Daily Mail</a> reported.
&#8220;The Japanese leader had just hit his ball out of the sand, and was walking up the side when he missed his step and fell backwards,&#8221; the Mail noted. &#8220;The 63-year-old fell head over heels into the sand but was swiftly back on his feet before his aide could reach him.&#8221;
Footage of the incident revealed that Trump, an excellent golfer, missed the entire thing because he was far ahead of Abe getting ready to play his next shot.
WATCH:
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Much of Trump&#8217;s visit to Japan was overshadowed by a completely fake &#8220;scandal&#8221; manufactured by CNN that was debunked within a day.
CNN posted a video that they deceptively edited that showed Trump throwing a box of fish food into a koi pond, making it look like he got impatient and just threw all the food in the pond before Abe was able to finish feeding the fish with his box of food.
Hours later the truth came out &#8212; Abe threw his entire box of fish food into the pond before Trump did.
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Abe dumped his fish food first. <a href="https://t.co/dWZf2IDrPL">pic.twitter.com/dWZf2IDrPL</a>
&#8212; Nicholas Wadhams (@nwadhams) <a href="https://twitter.com/nwadhams/status/927454301102002176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>

WATCH: Japanese Leader Hilariously Falls Backward Into Sand Bunker Playing Golf With Trump

Donald Trump

Golf

On Monday, Seth Meyers <a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/media/359087-seth-meyers-mocks-trump-with-hat-that-says-resign-donald">mocked the matching hats</a> Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented to President Trump over the weekend, likening Trump to a monkey who was learning sign language.
Meyers commenced his mean-spirited attack with this:
<blockquote>
Trump&#8217;s trip got off to a rough start on Friday when he flew to Hawaii, which, of course, was the state where former President Obama was born. Trump&#8217;s motorcade was greeted with protesters lining the streets, reminding him of his past as a birther, with signs like this one that read: &#8220;Aloha POTUS, welcome to Kenya.&#8221; Solid burn. And the interesting thing about the word Aloha is that it means both hello and go f*** yourself.
</blockquote>
Meyers then referenced Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe&#8217;s gift of a hat that read in gold writing, &#8220;Donald &amp; Shinzo, Make Alliance Even Greater.&#8221;
Meyers commented, &#8220;Abe is a smart man. He figured out the only way to communicate effectively with <a href="http://thehill.com/people/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> is via hat.&#8221; He then donned a white hat with gold writing that said: &#8220;Resign Donald.&#8221;
Meyers continued, &#8220;Also the hat said, Donald &amp; Shinzo, Make Alliance Even Greater&#8217;? That sounds like what you say to a monkey if you were teaching it sign language. Human and ape make friendship stronger!&#8221;
Then Meyers clarified that Trump might just be a combination of man and ape: &#8220;But whether Trump is the man in that exchange or the ape or more likely a combo of the two, his Asia trip will be focused in part on dealing with the threat of North Korea&#8217;s nuclear program, which has the region on edge.&#8221;
Video below:
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WATCH: Seth Meyers Mocks Trump, Likens Him To An Ape

Seth Meyers

On Friday, President Trump met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinz&#333; Abe, and the resultant handshake, in which Trump seemingly would not let go of Abe&#8217;s hand, yanking him back several times, caused Abe to display his discomfort in a rather obvious way:
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An honor to host Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/AbeShinzo">@AbeShinzo</a> in the United States. <a href="https://t.co/f6TvfZ6sMj">pic.twitter.com/f6TvfZ6sMj</a>
&#8212; President Trump (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/830141366059536384">February 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
Abe, who clearly looked as uncomfortable as a nun at an orgy, or any woman within three feet of Joe Biden, managed to keep smiling until he was finally released. Trump, either unconscious of or indifferent to the rather dispirited reaction of Abe, still posted a tweet of the exchange on his <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/830141366059536384">Twitter feed</a>.
The handshake brought to mind another <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/news/4497/hilarious-wh-explanation-obamas-limp-wristed-hank-berrien">rather awkward handshake</a> between President Obama and Cuban dictator Raul Castro.
After the meeting, Trump boasted that he and Abe have &#8220;developed a great friendship . . . When I greeted him today at the car, I was saying &#8211; I shook hands, but I grabbed him and hugged him because that&#8217;s the way we feel. We have a very, very good bond. Very, very good chemistry. I&#8217;ll let you know if it changes, but I don&#8217;t think it will.&#8221;
There was reaction on Twitter:
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<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS">@POTUS</a> The look on <a href="https://twitter.com/AbeShinzo">@</a><a href="https://twitter.com/AbeShinzo">AbeShinzo</a>&#8216;s face is the same look George Bailey gives Mr. Potter after shaking his hand in It&#8217;s A Wonderful Life.
&#8212; Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) <a href="https://twitter.com/DannyDeraney/status/830142984427495424">February 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/MrTommyCampbell">@MrTommyCampbell</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/sbisma16">@sbisma16</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS">@POTUS</a> Mr Miyagi would not have tolerated a handshake as long as this.
&#8212; Narinder Singh (@NSP55) <a href="https://twitter.com/NSP55/status/830142107801227264">February 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS">@POTUS</a> Still doing that weird handshake where you sharply pull the person towards you. That&#8217;s not how people do it.
&#8212; Ian Boothby (@IanBoothby) <a href="https://twitter.com/IanBoothby/status/830147578415058944">February 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/thorne_beverly">@thorne_beverly</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS">@POTUS</a> What&#8217;s the Jananese for &#8216;oww! please let me go&#8217;
&#8212; Robert Barrett (@barrettrob) <a href="https://twitter.com/barrettrob/status/830145384773218305">February 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
UPDATE: We now know what Trump and Abe said to one another during the lingering handshake. Here&#8217;s the transcript:
<blockquote>
Trump and Abe stare awkwardly at the cameras.
Abe: Shall we shake hands?
They shake hands for the cameras for 73 years.
Trump: What are they saying?
Abe: &#8220;Please look at me.&#8221;
Trump grins wide and stares at Abe.
After another interminable period, Trump finally releases Abe.
Trump: Strong hands.
</blockquote>

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