World Leaders React to Shinzo Abe Shooting

Editor/

World leaders have been reacting to the shooting of Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe.

Abe was shot twice as he made a campaign speech in the south of the country earlier today. He died moments afterwards.

Tetsuya Yamagami, 41 and a navy veteran, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder while wielding what appeared to be a home-made shotgun.

Police said afterwards he has confessed, telling them he wanted to kill Abe because he was “dissatisfied” with him. 

Read some of their reactions below:

UK 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that he is said he is “utterly appalled and saddened to hear about the despicable attack on Shinzo Abe.”

US

“This is a very, very sad moment,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters at the G20 meeting in Bali, saying the United States was “deeply saddened and deeply concerned”.

“We don’t know his condition,” he said. “Our thoughts, our prayers are with him, with his family, with the people of Japan.”

EU

European Council president Charles Michel said he was “shocked and saddened by (the) cowardly attack” on Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

Abe was “a true friend, fierce defender of multilateral order & democratic values”, Michel tweeted. 

“EU stands with people of Japan and (Prime Minister) Fumio Kishida in these difficult times. Profound sympathies to his family.”

Australia

“Shocking news from Japan that former PM Shinzo Abe has been shot,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted.

“Our thoughts are with his family and the people of Japan at this time.”

India

“Deeply distressed by the attack on my dear friend Abe Shinzo,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and the people of Japan.”

Russia 

“We pray for the health of the former prime minister of Japan, Mr Shinzo Abe,” the Russian embassy in Japan said in a post on Facebook.

“We strongly condemn the barbaric attempt on his life.”

France

The French embassy in Japan expressed concern over the “hateful” attack, saying its thoughts were with Abe and his loved ones.

“The French Embassy has learned with emotion and dismay of the hateful attack on former prime minister Shinzo Abe in Nara,” the mission said on Twitter.

Thailand 

Thailand’s “Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha is very shocked by what has happened to former Japanese premier Shinzo Abe,” Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told reporters in Bangkok.

“Prayut and Abe are friends and they have a relatively close relationship as they met several times.”

The Philippines

Enrique Manalo, the foreign affairs secretary of the Philippines, expressed “great shock and dismay” at the attack.

“I extend my deep sympathy and pray for his early recovery,” he tweeted.

0