Crime & Justice

Japan’s PM says Abe in ‘critical condition’

Tokyo, Jul 8 (EFE).- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday condemned the attack against former prime minister Shinzo Abe and confirmed that he was in a critical condition.

“This despicable, barbaric act that took place in the midst of an election, the very foundation of democracy, cannot be tolerated. We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms,” Kishida said, public broadcaster NHK reported.

He said that no motive had been established for the attack and that doctors were working to save Abe’s life.

Abe was shot in the back while giving a speech on the street in the city of Nara in western Japan, according to the local police.

The former prime minister was at a campaign rally for a parliamentary Upper House election scheduled for Sunday, in which the Liberal Democratic Party of Abe, and that of Fumio Kishida, hopes to secure a majority.

The police have arrested Tetsuya Yamagami, a former member of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, for attempted murder, NHK said.

Yamagami is believed to have carried out the attack with a homemade weapon, similar to a shotgun.

Kishida pointed out that it was still early to determine the political fallout of the incident but said that the government was prepared for any outcome.

The Japanese leader, who was also campaigning for the upcoming election, rushed back to Tokyo and also urged the rest of his ministers to do the same so that they could stay informed about the situation and take appropriate measures.

Election rallies in Japan are usually held in the middle of the street amid few security measures due to the low rate of crime and attacks with firearms in the country. EFE

emg-yk/pd/lds

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