Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Assassinated

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated during a shooting while giving a speech on a street early this morning. According to Japanese media outlets, Abe was taken from the scene of the shooting unconscious and in cardiac arrest with no vital signs. Japan’s current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida returned to Tokyo from a campaign trip after the shooting and spoke to reporters at his office. Kishida called the attack ‘dastardly and barbaric’ and said that the crime during the election campaign was absolutely unforgivable. Tributes from around the world started pouring in after Abe’s death was confirmed. President Biden said he was “stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened by the news” and also added that “The United States stands with Japan in this moment of grief.”