Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination has elicited condemnation from world leaders.
Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister who will step down in 2020, was shot twice in Nara, a city near Kyoto.
Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of Nato, the western military alliance, said he was “deeply saddened by the heinous killing of Shinzo Abe, a defender of democracy and my friend and colleague over many years”.
“My deepest condolences to his family, PM [Fumio] Kishida and the people of Nato’s partner Japan at this difficult time,” he added.
Japan’s fellow Quad members, Australia, India and the US, were among the first to respond after the shooting.
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi called for a day of national mourning in his country, saying he was “shocked and saddened beyond words at the tragic demise of one of my dearest friends, Shinzo Abe”.
Before Abe’s death was announced, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the shooting a “very, very sad moment.”
Abe was a driving force behind the formation of the Quad group, which is widely regarded as a partnership aimed at countering China’s assertiveness in the region.
The Chinese foreign ministry also expressed “shock” at Abe’s shooting and condoled with his family.
Kevin Rudd, the former Australian prime minister, said the attack “provides a sober reminder to all our democracies of how precious our freedoms are”.
“An attack on any democratically elected political leader is an attack on supporters of democracy everywhere,” added Rudd, who is now president of the US-based Asia Society think-tank.
Former US president Donald Trump, with whom Abe forged close ties, said via social media that the shooting was “a tremendous blow to the wonderful people of Japan”.
Abe’s public support for Taiwan had strengthened since he left office in the face of rising Chinese aggression against the democratic nation.
Taiwan’s president, Tsai Ing-wen, condemned the “violent and illegal acts,” while Wang Ting-yu, a member of Taiwan’s parliament from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, said, “PM Abe is a good friend of Taiwan.”
The European Council’s president, Charles Michel, said he was “shocked and saddened by the cowardly attack on Shinzo Abe while performing his professional duties.”
