After being killed by a lone gunman in a shocking act of political violence, a motorcade carrying the body of former prime minister Shinzo Abe arrived at his home in the Japanese capital on Saturday.
In the western city of Nara, where Japan’s longest-serving modern leader was shot and killed while giving a campaign speech on Friday, mourners gathered at his home and at the scene of the attack. The political establishment condemned the killing as an assault on democracy itself.
The security arrangements at the event where Abe was shot at close range by a 41-year-old unemployed man carrying a homemade gun are being reviewed by authorities.
According to the police, the man was resentful of Abe. On Sunday, elections for seats in the upper house of the Japanese parliament will take place as planned.
After making an urgent return to Tokyo on Friday following the shooting, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was back on the campaign trail visiting regional constituencies.
In the largely crime-free nation of Japan, a metal detector was installed at the location where Kishida was scheduled to deliver a campaign speech. There were also a lot of police around. A line of people formed in Nara, which is located about 450 kilometres southwest of Tokyo, to place flowers on a table that also featured an image of Abe.
Natsumi Niwa, a 50-year-old housewife, said after presenting flowers to the victim’s family near the scene of the murder outside a downtown train station: “I’m just shocked that this kind of thing happened in Nara.”
Niwa explained how Masakuni’s name was inspired by Abe, a conservative and the creator of the “Abenomics” policies meant to revive the economy. Japan was once praised by Abe as a “beautiful nation.” Japan’s word for nation is “kuni.”
On Monday, there will be a vigil at night. According to the media, close friends will attend Abe’s funeral on Tuesday. There was no immediate word regarding a memorial service for the public. Police are rushing to figure out the killer’s intentions and strategy.
