SHINZO Abe is a Japanese politician who served several terms as Prime Minister.
Abe was also chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party.
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Who is Shinzo Abe?
The 67-year-old was Prime Minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020.
Abe is the longest-serving prime minister in Japan’s history.
He resigned in 2020 due to health reasons related to a relapse of a bowel disease.
“I don’t want to make mistakes in important political decisions,” Abe told reporters at the time.
“I have decided that I should not sit in this chair until I can respond with confidence to the mandate of the people.”
What happened during the campaign event in Nara?
Abe was making a speech at a campaign event in Nara at about 11:30 a.m. local time when he was reportedly shot from behind.
The former prime minister is said to have received two gunshots to the chest.
Abe was rushed to a hospital after the shooting, with witnesses saying the former prime minister collapsed after the second shot was fired.
A suspect – reportedly a man in his 40s – was quickly apprehended by police.
The campaign event was in preparation for the July 10 upper house election.
Who is the current Prime Minister of Japan?
Fumio Kishida became Prime Minister of Japan in 2021.
Kishisa previously served as foreign minister from 2012 to 2017 and then acting defense minister in 2017.