Japan’s police chief resigns over Abe assassination

Tokyo, Aug 25 (EFE).- Japan’s National Police Agency chief Itaru Nakamura submitted his resignation on Thursday, taking responsibility for the lapse in the security of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe following his assassination on July 8 during a street rally in the city of Nara.

Nakamura’s resignation was announced at a press conference during the presentation of a report on the security deployed during the election rally where Abe was shot twice by an individual carrying a home-made firearm.

The police chief said he was taking responsibility for the “serious” security lapse that allowed the attack on Abe, and that the authorities needed to review its security procedures and start from scratch.

“In order to fundamentally reexamine guarding and never to let this happen, we need to have a new system,” Nakamura told a press conference as he announced his intention to step down.

According to the security report, the number and positioning of bodyguards during the rally was insufficient, leaving Abe vulnerable to attack from the back.

Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old former military personnel who was arrested and confessed to the attack, shot the politician in the back while he delivered a speech.

The report noted that none of the bodyguards noticed the suspect approach and did not immediately recognize that the sound of gunfire was caused by a firearm, and did not take adequate measures to protect him after the first shot missed him. EFE

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