Assassination of Shinzō Abe

This article documents a recent assassination. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial
news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information.
(July 2022)

On 8 July 2022, Shinzo Abe, former prime minister of Japan, was shot and killed while delivering a
campaign speech near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara, Nara Prefecture, at approximately 11:30 JST
(UTC+9).[2][3] He was critically wounded, showing no vital signs and was in cardiopulmonary arrest.[4][1]
Japanese state media reported about five hours later that he had died in the hospital.[5][6]

Shooting

On 8 July 2022, Abe was making a speech on behalf of Councillor Kei Satō, a Liberal Democratic Party
candidate running for re-election, ahead of upcoming upper house elections scheduled on Sunday, 10 July.
Abe was shot twice from behind with an improvised[1] double-barreled shotgun and collapsed.[7][8][9]

Abe was initially conscious and communicative right after he was shot. He was transported to a local
hospital by an emergency helicopter with a chest wound and was reported to have no vital signs when he
arrived at Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara.[2][10][11][9] At a press conference held from 2:45
p.m. JST, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Abe was in a critical condition and that "doctors [were] doing
everything they [could]".[12]

Suspect

Tetsuya Yamagami (Japanese: 山上徹也), a 41-year-old man from Nara City and a former member of the
Maritime Self-Defense Force from 2002 to 2005, was arrested by Nara Prefectural Police on suspicion of
attempted murder and was transferred to the Nara West Police Station.[13][14][15] Yamagami told
investigators that "he was dissatisfied with the former prime minister and intended to kill him."[16]

Aftermath

A crisis management center was established at the prime minister's office.[17] Prime Minister Fumio Kishida,
who was in Yamagata Prefecture for the election campaign, cancelled his remaining schedule in order to
return to Tokyo.[10] All other members of the incumbent cabinet were also called back to Tokyo, with the
exception of Foreign Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi who was in Indonesia for G20 meetings, according
to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno.[18] According to Liberal Democratic Party officials, Abe died
at the hospital.[19]

References

1. Kim, Chang-Ran (7 June 2022). "Shinzo Abe shot while making election speech in Japan" (https://www.reuters.c
om/world/asia-pacific/japan-ex-prime-minister-abe-may-have-been-shot-taken-hospital-nhk-2022-07-08/) .
Reuters. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220708041916/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/jap
 an-ex-prime-minister-abe-may-have-been-shot-taken-hospital-nhk-2022-07-08/) from the original on 8 July
2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
Assassination of Shinzo Abe
2. "Man taken into custody after former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo collapses" (https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/n
ews/20220708_19/) . NHK World. 8 July 2022. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220708032135/https://
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220708_19/) from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.

3. "Former Japanese PM Abe Shinzo showing no vital signs after apparently being shot" (https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nh
kworld/en/news/20220708_22/) . NHK World. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220708034700/https://
www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220708_22/) from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.

4. "Ex-Japan PM Shinzo Abe feared dead after apparent shooting – local media" (https://hongkongfp.com/2022/07/
08/breaking-ex-japan-pm-shinzo-abe-feared-dead-after-apparent-shooting-local-media%EF%BF%BC/) .
Hong Kong Free Press. AFP. 8 July 2022. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220708042951/https://hongko
Abe was shot near Yamato-Saidaiji Station (pictured
ngfp.com/2022/07/08/breaking-ex-japan-pm-shinzo-abe-feared-dead-after-apparent-shooting-local-media%EF
here in 2012)
%BF%BC/) from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.

5. "Shinzo Abe: Japan's ex-leader dies after being shot - local media" (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-asia-
62088876) . BBC News. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220708085442/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/
live/world-asia-62088876) from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.

6. "安倍晋三元⾸相死亡 奈良県で演説中に銃で撃たれる" (https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20220708/k10013707681

000.html) . ⽇本放送協会. 8 July 2022. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220708085058/https://www3.n
hk.or.jp/news/html/20220708/k10013707681000.html) from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.

7. "Japan ex-leader Shinzo Abe apparently shot, in heart failure" (https://apnews.com/article/elections-japan-shinzo

-abe-22ec2248d92304deb9cc46b2142402d2) . Associated Press. 8 July 2022. Archived (https://web.archive.
org/web/20220708032006/https://apnews.com/article/elections-japan-shinzo-abe-22ec2248d92304deb9cc46b
2142402d2) from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
Location near Yamato-Saidaiji
8. "Shinzo Abe, former Japan prime minister, shot during speech – report" (https://www.theguardian.com/world/202
Station, Nara, Nara
2/jul/08/shinzo-abe-former-japan-prime-minister-shot-during-speech-reports) . TheGuardian.com. 8 July
Prefecture, Japan
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Date 8 July 2022
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c. 11:30 JST (UTC+9:00)
9. Sim, Walter (8 July 2022). "Japan's ex-PM Shinzo Abe collapses in Nara after being shot, shows no vital signs:
Attack type Assassination, shooting
Media" (https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japans-ex-pm-shinzo-abe-collapses-in-nara-shots-heard-n
hk-says) . The Straits Times. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220708034659/https://www.straitstimes.
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July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022. Deaths Shinzo Abe

10. Nakamaru, Ryotaro (7 July 2022). "Former Japan PM Abe Unconscious After Shooting; Man in Custody" (https://
Perpetrators Tetsuya Yamagami
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-08/former-japan-pm-abe-collapses-after-shots-heard-man-in-cust
ody) . Bloomberg News. Archived (https://archive.today/20220708043657/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/ar
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July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.

11. Tapp, Tom (7 June 2022). "Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Shot & Critically Wounded At Campaign
Event, Suspect Arrested" (https://deadline.com/2022/07/shinzo-abe-japan-prime-minister-1235060213/) .
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12. "Shinzo Abe shot: former Japan prime minister in critical condition, says PM Kishida – live updates" (https://www.
theguardian.com/world/live/2022/jul/08/shinzo-abe-shot-live-news-former-japan-prime-minister-feared-dead-sh
ooting-japanese-pm-attack-speech) . the Guardian. 8 July 2022. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220
 708050639/https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/jul/08/shinzo-abe-shot-live-news-former-japan-prime
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13. "Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe unconscious after being shot in Nara" (https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20
22/07/08/national/abe-attacked-nara/) . Japan Times. Kyodo News. 8 July 2022. Archived (https://web.archive.
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14. ⽇本放送協会. "安倍元⾸相銃撃 41歳男"殺そうと思って狙った"【速報中】 | NHK" (https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/ht

ml/20220708/k10013707601000.html) [Former Prime Minister Abe Shooter, 41-year-old man, “I intended to kill
him.”]. NHKニュース (in Japanese). Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220708050609/https://www3.nhk.or
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15. "【速報】⼭上徹也容疑者は元海上⾃衛隊員 安倍⾸相、⼼肺停⽌" (https://www.fnn.jp/articles/-/386425)

[[Breaking news] Tetsuya Yamagami is a former Maritime Self-Defense Force member Prime Minister Abe,
cardiopulmonary arrest]. FNN (in Japanese). Fuji News Network. 8 July 2022. Archived (https://web.archive.org/w
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16. "Police: Suspect 'intended to kill' former PM Abe" (https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220708_37/) .

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17. Rich, Motoko; Dooley, Ben (8 July 2022). "Suspect Is in Custody After Shinzo Abe Is Wounded" (https://www.nyti
mes.com/live/2022/07/08/world/japan-shinzo-abe-shooting) . The New York Times. Archived (https://web.archi
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18. "東京に戻るよう閣僚に指示と官房⻑官" (https://nordot.app/917988871027884032?c=39550187727945729)

[Directed ministers to come back to Tokyo - Chief Cabinet Secretary] (in Japanese). Kyodo News. 8 July 2022.
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19. ⽇本放送協会. "安倍晋三元⾸相死亡 奈良県で演説中に銃で撃たれる" (https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20220708/

k10013707681000.html) . Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20220708085058/https://www3.nhk.or.jp/new
s/html/20220708/k10013707681000.html) from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022. {{cite
news}}: Text "NHK" ignored (help)