Yesterday, July 8, former Prime Minister Abe was shot and killed during a speech in support of a candidate for the House of Councillors in Nara Prefecture.
Just before noon, I turned on the TV, which I usually don't watch, to see the news that he had collapsed during a speech.
It was later reported that he had been shot and had suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest, and he was pronounced dead in the evening.
I was surprised and saddened by this very tragic incident.
Former Prime Minister Abe was born in 1954 and entered the workforce in 1979, the same year as I did, so we are roughly the same generation.
I have only encountered former Prime Minister Abe once.
It was more than a decade ago. At the time, I was in charge of policy at a labor union and visited the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors almost every week in order to implement policies through members of the union.
This was around the time that former Prime Minister Abe had quit his post as prime minister after falling ill due to the "downing of Abe," which could be described as bullying within his own party.
As I got on the elevator to the House of Representatives building, former Prime Minister Abe and two SPs got on later. It happened in just a few dozen seconds.
At the time, I had no idea that Mr. Abe would return as prime minister again, so I was not particularly moved.
I am not a supporter of the LDP, but my political stance is slightly right-of-center, so I am close to the views of former Prime Minister Abe. For that reason, I am very disappointed by this incident.
Now I can only pray for the repose of his soul.
