The former prime minister of Japan Shinzo Abe died on Friday at the age of 67 after being shot during a speech in the western city of Nara. Japan. According to Chief Government Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Abe was hit by the gunfire at 11:30 am Japan time.
The information was confirmed by the medical team at the Nara University Hospital of Medicine, where the former premier was hospitalized. At a press conference, the team leader reported that he was pronounced dead at 5:03 pm local time (5:03 am BrasÃlia time).
The bullet that hit Abe was deep enough to hit his heart and he arrived at the medical center without vital signs, the hospital official said.
The Nara Fire Department told Reuters that the former prime minister suffered a cardiac arrest before being taken to Nara Medical University Hospital.
Current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Abe was in serious condition, “undergoing emergency treatment by doctors fighting to save his life”. He condemned the shooting in Nara, and called the attack unacceptable to the foundations of Japanese democracy.
According to Nobuo Kishi, Abe’s younger brother and Japan’s current defense minister, the former premier received a blood transfusion. Abe’s wife has already arrived at the medical centre, NHK reported.
A 40-year-old man suspected of the attack was arrested at the scene, according to NHK. A station reporter at the scene said they heard two loud bangs in a row during Abe’s speech.
Shinzo Abe, 67, is the longest-serving prime minister in Japan. The member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had two governments: between 2006 and 2007 and 2012 and 2020. Conservative, he left office in August of that year for health reasons.
In 2006, Abe became the youngest prime minister to take office in Japan since World War II.
In September 2007, he surprisingly resigned after the party lost the July elections of that year. According to Abe, he left office to try to resolve a snag involving a naval mission supporting US military operations in Afghanistan. Senior members of the government said that health problems were also decisive for the exit.
In 2013, Abe was at the forefront of the country when Tokyo was named host city for the 2020 Olympics.
Source: CNN Brasil
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