Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe assassinated; PM Modi says India has

Tokyo: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been assassinated. Abe is said to have been shot dead by a man named Tetsuya Yamagami. The assassination of Abe, the longest-serving Prime Minister of Japan, is being widely condemned, and prominent leaders worldwide have expressed deep grief over it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Abe was a trusted friend of India and that his assassination shocked him. India has declared a day of national mourning for Abe.

Abe resigned as prime minister in 2020 due to health problems. Nevertheless, he was active in the political arena. Shinzo Abe was addressing the public to campaign for his party’s candidate in the elections in Japan on Friday when he was shot at. The hospital said that the bullets piercing his chest and neck caused him to bleed profusely, and he suffered a heart attack. Security has been increased for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other Japanese leaders following the attack on Abe.

Major countries around the world have condemned and deeply mourned Abe’s killing. China responded by saying that Abe’s killing was shocking. But there were celebrations on China’s social media. Abe’s killer is claimed to be a ‘hero’ on Chinese social media. At the same time, in India, the death of Shinzo Abe is being mourned. Prime Minister Modi expressed grief over the loss of a leader who was a trusted friend of India. Prime Minister Modi recalled that he had met Shinzo Abe during his visit to Japan in May.

Abe, 67, is Japan’s longest-serving prime minister. Abe’s grandfather was Japan’s prime minister, while his father served as Japan‘s foreign minister. Shinzo Abe, who had such a political legacy, became prime minister for the first time in 2006. The hardline policies he adopted against China and North Korea and his economic policy had become a topic of discussion worldwide. During this period, he first proposed the concept of ‘Indo-Pacific’ and suggested considering the area from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean together.

When he became the Prime Minister of Japan once again in 2012, he emphasized the importance of the Indo-Pacific concept, noting that India has a huge role to play in the region. Abe had a clear position on the cooperation of India and Japan. He had advocated it from time to time. During his tenure, the collaboration of India and Japan reached new heights.

During his tenure as a prime minister, Abe’s visit to India had become an intimate subject for Indians. Abe’s respect for Indian culture was always expressed. At the same time, India also respected and honoured Shinzo Abe. In 2021, Abe was awarded the Padma Vibhushan by India.