Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe was assassinated

[Velar Fricative]

Shocking. He was the longest-serving PM in Japan until he stepped down in 2020. He was at a campaign event.

www.nbcnews.com/news/world/japan-shinzo-abe-shot-rcna37228

[jeaniebueller]

That’s awful. And shocking.

[bears]

This is so shocking. I keep on thinking about his appearance at the Rio games and how surprising and delightful that was. olympics.com/en/video/japan-pm-abe-shinzo-steals-the-show-in-rio

[underwaterrhymes]

I heard about the shooting late last night and was so sad to wake up and see he had died.

[underwaterrhymes]

Also this is doubly shocking for Japan because they only average about 9 or 10 shooting deaths a year. He was shot with a homemade gun.

[af1212]

Jul 8, 2022 6:38:59 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Also this is doubly shocking for Japan because they only average about 9 or 10 shooting deaths a year. He was shot with a homemade gun.

I’m sure the US gun nuts will make something of that info 😭

[rupertpenny]

This is so sad and the concept of a homemade gun is terrifying.

So much of the news these days gives me 1930s vibes and I really, really don't like it. I can't think of any specific events in this case, but the rise in political violence, in general, is chilling.

[sofamonkey]

Jul 8, 2022 6:37:44 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

I heard about the shooting late last night and was so sad to wake up and see he had died.

Same. I’d read something and was absolutely floored that he passed away. Since they have so little violence, I guess I presumed it wouldn’t be lethal. How awful.

[NewOrleans]

☹️

[Michelle]

Jul 8, 2022 7:37:50 GMT -5 rupertpenny said:

This is so sad and the concept of a homemade gun is terrifying.

So much of the news these days gives me 1930s vibes and I really, really don't like it. I can't think of any specific events in this case, but the rise in political violence, in general, is chilling.

Agree. I know some great people who have stepped up to run for office in purple states and due to threats of violence against their family, decided to exit the race.

[erbear]

I am floored by this news.

[Velar Fricative]

There was ONE gun-related death in Japan in all of 2021. I cannot imagine the shock of Japanese people right now.

www.nytimes.com/2022/07/08/world/asia/shinzo-abe-assassination-japan.html?smid=url-share

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 8, 2022 6:45:56 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Jul 8, 2022 6:38:59 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Also this is doubly shocking for Japan because they only average about 9 or 10 shooting deaths a year. He was shot with a homemade gun.

I’m sure the US gun nuts will make something of that info 😭

"Criminals will always find a way to get a weapon!!!"

Except gun control proponents have never said we could eradicate gun violence entirely. Plus, there's a difference between the 10 shootings in Japan in all of 2021 and the 10 shootings that likely happened in the last 2 minutes in the US. We don't have to accept a zillion shootings either.

[msmerymac]

Wow! This is also shocking because you don't think of assassinations being that common in stable democracies. Which might say something about world politics at the moment. 

[Velar Fricative]

Jul 8, 2022 9:44:12 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Wow! This is also shocking because you don't think of assassinations being that common in stable democracies. Which might say something about world politics at the moment. 

Particularly since he wasn't the current PM either. When I saw the breaking news alert on my phone this morning, I had to double-check that Abe was indeed the former PM since that's what I thought he was but thought I could be wrong because assassinations typically happen against current leaders, not former ones.

[wise_rita]

Jul 8, 2022 7:37:50 GMT -5 rupertpenny said:

This is so sad and the concept of a homemade gun is terrifying.

So much of the news these days gives me 1930s vibes and I really, really don't like it. I can't think of any specific events in this case, but the rise in political violence, in general, is chilling.

My vibes predate yours by about 20 years. When was Archduke Ferdinand assassinated? That.

[RitzyHeifer]

Jul 8, 2022 9:48:20 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Jul 8, 2022 9:44:12 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Wow! This is also shocking because you don't think of assassinations being that common in stable democracies. Which might say something about world politics at the moment. 

Particularly since he wasn't the current PM either. When I saw the breaking news alert on my phone this morning, I had to double-check that Abe was indeed the former PM since that's what I thought he was but thought I could be wrong because assassinations typically happen against current leaders, not former ones.

The analysis I heard on NPR (thru a BBC program) was that it wasn’t politically motivated. Which had me a little “whaaa?” And then later this afternoon a different commenter on NPR said the shooter told officials he “was angry at a certain group he thought Abe was part of”. But the investigators declined to say what the group was.

I am also having a lot of… feelings, I guess about news recently. We just passed the 1 year mark of Haiti’s president being assassinated in his home and there is still no clarity of who is responsible. And now this which might not have been meant as a political statement but certainly will be received as such. 

[basilosaurus]

Jul 8, 2022 6:45:56 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Jul 8, 2022 6:38:59 GMT -5 underwaterrhymes said:

Also this is doubly shocking for Japan because they only average about 9 or 10 shooting deaths a year. He was shot with a homemade gun.

I’m sure the US gun nuts will make something of that info 😭

This was exactly where my mind immediately jumped. See? Banning guns doesn't work (except it totally does). Also, I'm sure someone will ask if they're going to ban fireworks since he used them as a propellant. 

Assassination would be shocking anywhere, but it's particularly rattling in Japan. 

The killer said something like I don't like him and came to kill him. Openly, brazenly walked out and shot. A comment on a twitter thread called him an honest Abe killer. Dad jokes showing up in the unlikeliest of places. 

[isabel]

DH told me this yesterday (we had just gotten back from camping with no cell service) and I was honestly shocked. Mostly because it’s Japan and there’s essentially no gun violence there.

I’m nodding along with all of your posts. This is shocking and unnerving.