Author: Yamaguchi Banri
Associated Press
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Photo by Patrick Sand/West Seattle Blog)
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has blamed insufficient police protection for the death of former leader Shinzo Abe, who was shot during an outdoor campaign speech.
Abe, one of Japan’s most influential politicians, was stunned by the July 8 assassination of Nara in western Japan, a country known for its low crime rate and strict gun controls. Photos and video of the shooting showed the gunman was able to approach Abe from behind while security guards concentrated in front.
“I think there is a problem with the security measures,” Kishida said.
Kishida said officials from the National Public Security Commission and the National Police Agency were investigating the problem and would formulate countermeasures. A team of national police officers arrived at the Nara Prefecture Police Headquarters to investigate.
“I urge them to do a thorough review and address what needs to be addressed, but also to look at examples from other countries,” he said.
Kishida also announced plans to hold a state funeral for Abe later this year, noting his contributions at home and in promoting Japan’s security alliance with the United States. Abe’s nationalist views have propelled the ruling party’s conservative policies.
“By holding a state funeral for former Prime Minister Abe, Japan will show its determination not to succumb to violence and to stand firm in defending democracy,” Kishida said. “Japan will also show the world its determination to stay alive and blaze a trail for the future.”
A smaller funeral was held at a temple in Tokyo on July 12. This will be the second state funeral for a prime minister since World War II, following a state funeral held for Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida in 1967.
Using the tax money to hold a state funeral for a divided leader has received mixed reactions from opposition leaders. Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Progressive Party, said the plan was understandable after receiving many condolences from abroad, but Ichiro Matsui, head of the Japan Innovation Party, said it would require too much public funding.
Abe was giving a speech in support of a Liberal Democratic Party candidate to govern in parliamentary elections when he was shot. The party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, won a landslide victory in the polls, in part because of sympathy votes for Abe. But his absence could spark a power struggle within his party, destabilizing the party.
A suspect was arrested immediately after the shooting and held for up to three weeks until prosecutors decide whether to bring murder charges.
The suspect reportedly told police he had abandoned plans to shoot Abe during a speech in another city a day earlier because he was asked to check luggage at the entrance.
He told investigators that he killed Abe because of a rumored connection between the former prime minister and a religious group the suspect hated, police and media reports said. The suspect, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, was reportedly frustrated that his mother had donated to the Unification Church, causing the family to go bankrupt.
The assassination revealed links between the LDP and the Unification Church, known for its conservative and anti-communist beliefs and its mass weddings.
The Japanese branch of the Korean church confirmed that Shanshang’s mother was a member, while Abe was not. Abe appeared in a video message to church-affiliated groups.
