Day of mourning and pain in Tokyo. Japan will mourn the passing of Shinzo Abe, the former Prime Minister. He was shot to death at a rally in western Japan the day before. Police admit that security problems were a contributing factor. After publicly apologizing for the death of the most prominent politician in Japan, Tomoaki Onizuka, chief of Nara Local Guard, said that “It is undoubtedly that there have been failings with the escort actions.” At a Kyodo-collected press conference, he stated that the head of prefecture had promised to “fully analyse the problems and take appropriate measures” in light of what had happened. Onizuka stated that it was urgent for them to investigate the incident.
Many people have criticised the security after the attack on Abe (67), at an open-air rally in advance of today’s Upper House of Parliament election. The question is, why was the former prime Minister on the streets? Critics question. Critics question.
According to data from Japan’s National Police Agency, crime in Japan fell 7.5% between the previous and 2021 to 568,148. This is a seventh consecutive year of a post-war record. Statistics show that 2002 was the year with 2.85 million crimes. This figure has fallen significantly since then.
Abe’s tragic passing has shocked Japan after a two-decade-long decline in violence on Japan’s streets. The Police have revolutionized security measures surrounding the election, where the distance between voters and candidates is reduced to the maximum. This time, there will be more agents around and citizens won’t be able to approach politicians like usual.
While the country was in pain and tears, a hearse moved the body from the hospital to his Tokyo home today. Many hundreds of people have paid their respects to the large wreath placed at Nara’s makeshift altar. It is located near the spot where Tetsuya Yamagami, a former military man, shot Abe twice in the neck. This image is being repeated every Friday. Akira Takahashi (54), who was there to plant flowers, said, “I can’t believe that something like this could occur in Japan.” He stated with force, “There should’ve been more security personnel.”
Abe was born into a political family. He became the youngest postwar prime minister at 52 years old when he assumed office in 2006. The position he held until September 2007, and then between December 2012 to September 2020. He resigned because of health problems. His death caused shock around the world. Joe Biden, the president of the United States, stated that he was shocked, outraged, and deeply saddened by the tragic incident. Yoon Suk Suk-yel, Abe’s South Korean counterpart, referred to the crime as “unacceptable”, while the Chinese embassy in Japan praised him for his “contribution towards improving and developing” relationships.
