2 yıl önce

Japan goes to polls in shadow of ex-PM Abe assassination

The election, which is expected to see Shinzo Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party increase its majority, has been overshadowed by the murder.

AP

The assassination rattled the nation and sent shockwaves around the world, prompting an outpouring of sympathy even from nations with which the hawkish Abe had sometimes difficult relations, like China and South Korea.

Polls opened on Sunday in Japan's upper house elections, just two days after former prime minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated while on the campaign trail.

The election, which is expected to see Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party increase its majority, has been overshadowed by the murder.

But Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other politicians have insisted the shock killing would not halt the democratic process.

"We must never allow violence to suppress speech during elections, which are the foundation of democracy," he said Saturday, as he campaigned across the country.

The assassination, which occurred on Friday, rattled the nation and sent shockwaves around the world, prompting an outpouring of sympathy even from nations with which the hawkish Abe had sometimes difficult relations, like China and South Korea.

The man accused of his murder, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, is in custody and has told investigators he targeted Abe because he believed the politician was linke d to a unnamed organisation.

Local media have described the organisation as religious and said Yamagami's family had suffered financial trouble as a result of his mother's donations to the group.

Japan's former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has died hours after being shot while making a campaign speech in Nara city.

Local media have named the suspected gunman as Tetsuya Yamagami, who is believed to be a former member of Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force pic.twitter.com/IgzmeN5hd5
— TRT World (@trtworld) July 8, 2022

'No bigger regret'

Abe had been campaigning in the western region of Nara for a candidate from his ruling LDP when Yamagami opened fire, and local police there on Saturday admitted "problems" with the security plan for the high-profile figure.

With little violent crime and tough gun laws, security at Japanese campaign events can be relaxed, though in the wake of Abe's murder, measures were beefed up for Kishida's remaining appearances.

At Abe's family home in Tokyo on Saturday, a steady stream of senior politicians dressed in black arrived to pay condolences.

Police have promised a "thorough investigation" into what the head of the Nara regional police called "problems with guarding and safety measures" for Abe.

Election win expected for ruling LDP

The murder of Japan's best-known politician has sparked international condemnation, with US President Joe Biden ordering flags flown at half-mast through Sunday and Chinese President Xi Jinping saying he was "deeply saddened".

Local media have reported a wake for Abe will be held Monday evening, with a funeral for close family and associates only on Tuesday.

Kishida, 64, was once described as among Abe's favoured successors, and holds a solid majority in parliament along with coalition partner Komeito.

Sunday's vote is expected to cement that hold on power, leaving Kishida even better positioned to go into a "golden three years" in which he will face no further elections.

But he faces significant policy headwinds, including rising prices and energy shortages, particularly after an early summer heat wave that led to a power crunch.

Polls close at 8:00 pm (1100 GMT), with projected results from Japanese media expected immediately after.

SOURCE: Reuters