Shinzo Abe dead: Former Japanese prime minister dies after being shot during speech
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Japan’s longest-serving leader Shinzo Abe was assassinated in a street on Friday by a gunman who opened fire as he delivered a campaign speech. Dramatic video from state broadcaster NHK showed Mr Abe standing and giving a speech outside a train station in Nara, western Japan, ahead of parliamentary elections on Sunday. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hastily returned to Tokyo from campaign events after the shooting, which he called “dastardly and barbaric”. Kenta Izumi, head of the top opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, called it “an act of terrorism” and said it “tried to quash the freedom of speech.