Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe Dead: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced a one-day national mourning on July 9 for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, moments after he succumbed to gunshot wounds after being shot at in Nara, near Kyoto. Abe was shot twice from behind at around 8 AM IST while he was delivering a campaign speech outside a train station.
Taking to Twitter, PM Modi wrote, “As a mark of our deepest respect for former Prime Minister #ShinzoAbe, a one day national mourning shall be observed on 9 July 2022.”
Recollecting several joint initiatives taken by India and Japan when Abe was the Prime Minister, Modi said, “Mr. Abe made an immense contribution to elevating India-Japan relations to the level of a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Today, whole India mourns with Japan and we stand in solidarity with our Japanese brothers and sisters in this difficult moment.”
PM Modi also shared a recent picture of him with Abe, and tweeted, “Sharing a picture from my most recent meeting with my dear friend, Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. Always passionate about strengthening India-Japan ties, he had just taken over as the Chairman of the Japan-India Association.”
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while hailing Abe for strengthening Indo-Japan ties during his tenure, said in Abe’s demise, India has lost a close friend. “Deeply saddened by the assassination of former Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Shinzo Abe. India today has lost a close friend who assiduously worked towards strengthening the bilateral relations between India and Japan, during his tenure as Prime Minister,” tweeted Singh.
“I met with Mr Abe during my visit to Japan in 2019. I found him to be an inspiring leader who had the vision to create a safe and better world. He will always be remembered for his statesmanship. Our prayers and thoughts are with the bereaved family,” Singh further tweeted.
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, while reminiscing nearly three decades of personally knowing Abe, shared a picture of them together and wrote, “A sad day for Japan, for India, the world and for me personally. A quarter century of memories of Shinzo Abe. No words to express them.”
Soon after the 67-year-old Abe was shot in the middle of the street at Nara, he was airlifted from the scene and taken to the hospital immediately. He was reportedly not breathing as his heart had stopped beating. Despite emergency medical measures, including blood transfusions, doctors were unable to save him. The police arrested the suspected gunman, identified as Yetsuya Yamagami, on the spot. The 41-year-old Yamagami has served three years in the Maritime Self-Defense Force.