Former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe Shot

[thebobmaster]

Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe dies after being shot at campaign event

Abe, 67, was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister. He died after being shot while giving a campaign speech in the western city of Nara ahead of an upcoming election.

www.nbcnews.com

Apparently, while giving a campaign speech in Nara ahead of parliamentary elections, someone shot Shinzo Abe from behind, who stepped down as prime minister in 2020 after 8 years, with a previous 2 year term as well, making him the longest-lasting Prime Minister in Japanese history. According to an article in the South China Morning Post, he was reported as being in a state of "cardio-respiratory arrest" according to a local fire department on scene at the time of the shooting, which if true, is extremely concerning for obvious reasons.

 

[Gordon_4]

Damn, you beat me to it.

Shinzo Abe Collapses during Speech: Possibly Shot

Shinzo Abe, former Japanese Prime Minister has allegedly been shot during a campaign speech at the Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara. The situation is developing, with NHK saying the former PM was showing no vital signs. A witness also told the broadcaster they heard two gunshots and saw someone...

forums.escapistmagazine.com

I’ll get a mod request in to delete mine.

OT: assuming this is what it looks like at first blush and that Abe does not recover, does that make this the most high profile political assassination in Japanese modern history? And arguably one of the more significant in the first world nations in recent years?

 

[thebobmaster]

Definitely very high up there on both accounts.

 

[McElroy]

For a moment I'd hoped this is a drink recipe. Dude isn't even that old. Let's hope for a recovery against odds.

edit: rest in peace

 

[meiam]

He already had a ton of health problem and from what I gather the news is being distorted by translation and he's dead.

That's pretty major considering if he didn't have his health issue he would currently be PM and he still had a lot of influence in his party. He's also one of the longest serving leader both in japan history but also in modern democracy history.

Not quite sure what the motive would have been, apparently it was a member of the military. Maybe angry at Abe attempt moving away from historical pacifism, although that's hard to square with an assassination, so maybe other way and someone who wanted him to push more aggressive nationalist policy? There was a weird incident a few decades ago where a bunch of right wing nutcase took over a military base and all ritualistically kill themselves on base in an attempt to convince japan they should be nationalist.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

Seeing the video (not posting for obvious reasons), the smoke cloud from the shot was rather big, either a shotgun or homemade. Possibly both.

 

[Gordon_4]

Seeing the video (not posting for obvious reasons), the smoke cloud from the shot was rather big, either a shotgun or homemade. Possibly both.

Well firearms are very difficult to get a hold of in Japan; even the Yakuza only have them in limited numbers or so I read.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

Well firearms are very difficult to get a hold of in Japan; even the Yakuza only have them in limited numbers or so I read.

Yup, it's why I'm staking a theory at all. A shotgun is easy and can be engineered to be resistant to imprecise powder loads. Great for when you only have and need 1 shot with homemade powder too. Of course they could come out tomorrow and say it was a disgruntled JSDF member with a service weapon and the various circumstances of the scene just made the smoke cloud look big and I'll be wrong. It's speculation, but it's my guess.

 

[thebobmaster]

He already had a ton of health problem and from what I gather the news is being distorted by translation and he's dead.

I'm hearing mixed things on that. On the one hand, there's the article I referred to in the OP that has been referenced in a few other articles as well, with the local fire department reporting that Abe was in "cardio-pulmonary arrest", which is basically saying he's dead without saying he's dead. On the other, the most recent news from CNN says that he is in the hospital in critical condition, with emergency treatment taking place.

Incidentally, the second-most recent update from CNN reports that the apprehended suspect was, in fact, using a homemade gun.

ETA: Most recent update from CNN, via Japan's public broadcaster NHK, says that Abe was shot twice: once in the chest, once in the neck. Still reporting that he's in emergency treatment, though, not dead.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

Hunters' association: Gun in Abe attack may have been modified | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

The head of Japan's hunters' association says the firearm used in the shooting attack on former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo may have been a self-modified gun.

www3.nhk.or.jp

Some more details on the gun, locals are saying it didn't sound like a shotgun, which I'll believe. It looks like a pair of aluminum tubes tied together and an electric switch on the back. Like an electricity primed double-barreled musket. I do like how the hunting club describes it as "modified", built from scratch more like. But maybe it's a translation thing.

 

[Leg End]

I can only imagine they revived him at the hospital by whispering into his ear something about declining Japanese birthrates. All seriousness, holy fuck. May his rage against the Chinese keep him with us.

Hunters' association: Gun in Abe attack may have been modified | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

The head of Japan's hunters' association says the firearm used in the shooting attack on former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo may have been a self-modified gun.

www3.nhk.or.jp

Some more details on the gun, locals are saying it didn't sound like a shotgun, which I'll believe. It looks like a pair of aluminum tubes tied together and an electric switch on the back. Like an electricity primed double-barreled musket. I do like how the hunting club describes it as "modified", built from scratch more like. But maybe it's a translation thing.

And this dude hit with both shots. Goddamn impressive. Morbid, but goddamn impressive.

 

[bluegate]

Hunters' association: Gun in Abe attack may have been modified | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

The head of Japan's hunters' association says the firearm used in the shooting attack on former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo may have been a self-modified gun.

www3.nhk.or.jp

Some more details on the gun, locals are saying it didn't sound like a shotgun, which I'll believe. It looks like a pair of aluminum tubes tied together and an electric switch on the back. Like an electricity primed double-barreled musket. I do like how the hunting club describes it as "modified", built from scratch more like. But maybe it's a translation thing.

Not quite sure about the source of the image, but this appears to be a closer shot of the weapon.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Looks like he's passed. Seeing a lot of hate for him online, which is always given for politicians. But I find that odd since he's been their PM for most of my life. You'd think he'd be pretty popular.

 

[Neuromancer]

Goodbye, and good riddance.

 

[Leg End]

Godspeed you beautiful fucker.

 

[Agema]

Looks like he's passed. Seeing a lot of hate for him online, which is always given for politicians. But I find that odd since he's been their PM for most of my life. You'd think he'd be pretty popular.

Japan has notoriously low election turnouts, about 50%. This suggests politicians don't need to be that popular.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

Refreshing to see that one of those rightist nutcases actually got what was coming to him

 

[BrawlMan]

Refreshing to see that one of those rightist nutcases actually got what was coming to him

I take it this guy was a major asshole who screwed a lot of people over.

 

[thebobmaster]

I take it this guy was a major asshole who screwed a lot of people over.

Yeah, he was not that great of a guy. Among other things, he was a consistent denier of Japanese war crimes during World War II. Still don't ever condone assassination, though.

 

[tstorm823]

I take it this guy was a major asshole who screwed a lot of people over.

Nah, people here just hate everyone and celebrate death.