[Summary] Former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Suffers Cardiac Arrest After Shooting During Campaign... 41-Year-Old Suspect Arrested

After Two Gunshots, Man Collapses Bleeding
Police Official: "Appears Shot from Behind with a Shotgun"
Fire Department: "Unconscious and in Cardiac Arrest"
Man in His 40s Arrested at Scene for Attempted Murder

On the morning of the 8th, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot by an assailant during a campaign speech supporting the House of Councillors election in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan, was lying bleeding on the street.
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot with a shotgun and collapsed on the 8th during a campaign rally for the House of Councillors election. Former Prime Minister Abe was transported to the hospital in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest, and the police arrested a suspect at the scene.

According to NHK and Kyodo News, Abe collapsed while bleeding during a street campaign in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan, around 11:30 a.m. that day ahead of the House of Councillors election. At the time, two sounds like gunshots were heard, and NHK reported that Abe collapsed while bleeding from the chest area.

A police official stated that it appears Abe was shot from behind with a shotgun. Abe was urgently transported to the hospital, and the fire department explained that he was in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Initially, while being transported by ambulance, Abe was conscious and responded to calls, but later lost consciousness and entered a state of cardiopulmonary arrest.

The police arrested one man at the scene and are investigating him on suspicion of attempted murder, also confiscating the gun the man possessed. NHK reported that the suspect is a 41-year-old man named Tetsuya Yamagami, who resides in Nara Prefecture. He was wearing a mask and glasses, along with a shirt and pants.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Former Prime Minister Abe appeared to be campaigning to support constitutional revision following the House of Councillors election scheduled for the 10th. Abe was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, serving two terms from September 2006 to September 2007 and from December 2012 to September 2020. As a prominent hardliner within the Liberal Democratic Party, he consistently advocated for revising the pacifist constitution during his tenure.

In this House of Councillors election, it is expected that the pro-constitutional revision forces, including the Liberal Democratic Party, will secure more than two-thirds of the seats, meeting the requirement to propose constitutional amendments.

According to opinion polls, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito is expected to hold between a minimum of 133 seats and a maximum of 151 seats after the election. Securing a majority is considered likely, and attention is focused on whether they will secure the number of seats needed to propose constitutional amendments. Due to increased security threats such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, rising tensions between China and Taiwan, and North Korea’s missile launches, constitutional revision has emerged as a key issue in this House of Councillors election.