KUALA LUMPUR ā Leaders around the world condemned the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday as ādespicable,ā ācowardlyā and āterrorismā while recalling him as a man devoted to peace, security and international cooperation.
Tributes poured in as governments expressed sorrow and solidarity with Japan over the loss of Abe, who was Japanās longest-serving leader before stepping down in 2020 for health reasons.
Recommended Videos
Abe, 67, was shot from behind in Nara in western Japan while giving a campaign speech. He was airlifted to a hospital and later pronounced dead. The attack was especially shocking in one of the world's safest countries, where guns are strictly controlled.
U.S. President Joe Biden said he was āstunned, outraged, and deeply saddened.ā He visited the residence of Japanās ambassador to the U.S. on Friday to offer condolences. He placed a bouquet of flowers on a table set up near a koi pond and wrote in a condolence book that Abe was āa man of peace and judgment.ā
āThis is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him,ā Biden said. āHis vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will endure. Above all, he cared deeply about the Japanese people and dedicated his life to their service.ā
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who hastily returned to Tokyo from campaign events around the country, condemned the āunforgivable act.ā He said campaigning as well as Sunday's elections for parliament's upper house will proceed.
āThe free and fair election, which is the root of democracy, needs to be protected no matter what. We will not be defeated by violence," Kishida said.
Biden called Kishida āa very solid guyā and said he did not believe the killing was likely to have "any profound, destabilizing impact on Japanese security or Japanese solidarity.ā
Leaders from Turkey to Singapore condemned the attack. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the French foreign ministry called the shooting ādespicable," and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro SĆ”nchez said it was ācowardly.ā
The U.N. Security Council stood in silent tribute to Abe after the current council president, Brazilās U.N. Ambassador Ronaldo Costa Filho, expressed āour sadness and shock at the senseless assassination.ā
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Abe will be remembered āas a staunch defender of multilateralism, respected leader and supporter of the United Nations.ā Abe was committed to promoting peace and security, championing U.N. development goals and advocating for universal health coverage, Guterres said, according to his spokesman.
āI have fond memories of meeting Mr. Abe and his wife during their visit to the United Kingdom in 2016,ā Queen Elizabeth II said in a written statement. āHis love for Japan, and his desire to forge ever-closer bonds with the United Kingdom, were clear.ā
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted his ādeepest condolences to his family and the people of Japan at this difficult time,ā while South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called the shooting āan intolerable criminal act,ā his office said.
Iran said it was āan act of terrorism.ā
āAs a country that has been a victim of terrorism and has lost great leaders to terrorists, we are following the news closely and with concern,ā Iranās Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
Public broadcaster NHK aired a dramatic video of Abe giving a speech outside a train station in Nara. He is standing, dressed in a navy blue suit, raising his fist, when two gunshots are heard. The video then shows Abe collapsed on the street.
Jordanās King Abdullah II said he was shocked and saddened. āThe world lost a great leader, and Jordan and I lost a true friend,ā the monarch tweeted.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Abe was one of the first leaders she met after taking office and described him as deeply committed to his role, generous and kind.
āI recall him asking after the recent loss of our pet when I met him, a small gesture but one that speaks to the kind of person he is,ā Ardern said. āEvents like this shake us all to the core.ā
In the NHK video, security guards are seen leaping on top of a man in a gray shirt who lies face down on the pavement. A double-barreled device that appeared to be a handmade gun is seen on the ground.
Police arrested a suspect at the scene. Under Japanese law, possession of firearms is illegal without a special license. Importing them is also illegal.
Leaders from Germany, Pakistan, Sweden and the Philippines were also among those who gave condolences, and many countries including Spain and France expressed solidarity with Japan. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a day of national mourning on Saturday as a mark of deepest respect for Abe.
"Mr. Abe made an immense contribution to elevating India-Japan relations to the level of a special strategic and global partnership. Today, whole India mourns with Japan and we stand in solidarity with our Japanese brothers and sisters in this difficult moment,ā Modi said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Abe was a āgiant on the world stage," adding that "his legacy was one of global impact, and a profound and positive one for Australia."
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose time in office from 2005-2021 largely overlapped Abe's, said she was ādeeply shocked and devastatedā by the ācowardly and vile assassination.ā
Taiwan's government said āAbe spared no effort to push for the progress of Taiwan-Japan relations for many years,ā noting his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic for the Japanese government to donate vaccines to Taiwan.
Italian Premier Mario Draghi said Italy was embracing Abeās family, the government and the Japanese people.
āItaly is distraught over the terrible attack against Japan and its free, democratic debate. Abe was a great protagonist of Japanese and international political life in recent decades, thanks to his innovative spirit and reformist vision,ā Draghi said in a statement.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt noted that Abe was killed āwhile campaigning for his fellow party members. All politicians should be safe while executing their work for democracy.ā
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who is president of the Group of 20 nations' foreign ministers meeting in Bali, Indonesia, said Abe āwill always be remembered as a prime example for all.ā
The International Olympic Committee praised Abe for his āvision, determination and dependabilityā that allowed it to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It said the Olympic flag will be flown at half staff at Olympic House in Lausanne for three days.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump said he hoped Abeās killer will be dealt with āswiftly and harshly.ā āReally BAD NEWS FOR THE WORLD!ā he said on his social media platform. He said Abe āwas a unifier like no other, but above all, he was a man who loved and cherished his magnificent country, Japan."
In China, however, Abe's shooting triggered unfavorable comments from tens of thousands of nationalist citizens on social media.
Some quipped, āHope heās not OK,ā while dozens half-jokingly called the shooter āa heroā or āanti-Japan hero.ā Others said Abeās injuries were a comfort to the souls of people who died in Japanās invasion of China during World War II.
While not necessarily the view of most Chinese, the posts reflect strong public sentiment ā encouraged by government propaganda ā against right-wing Japanese politicians who question or deny that Japan's military committed atrocities in China.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said China expressed sympathies with Abe's family and that the shooting shouldn't be linked with bilateral relations.
___
Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.