Japan’s former Prime Minister and President of the Liberal Democratic Party died in the western Japanese city of Nara on Friday 8 July, after being shot while delivering a speech, according to Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party officials. Two gunshots were heard at the scene as a man shot Abe from behind, wielding what appeared to be a homemade shotgun, according to reports. Abe died around five and a half hours after the shooting, showing no vital signs as he was brought into the hospital. He had bled to death, with a medical professional citing two deep injuries. The assassination has sent a wave of shock through the nation where gun violence is extremely rare. Given how strictly the ownership of firearms in Japan is regulated, the steps to owning a gun in the country are long and arduous, making for a virtually gun-free nation. During his tenure, Abe maintained close ties with Egypt and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. In 2020, President Al-Sisi ordered a new axis in Cairo to be eponymous with the former Japanese Prime Minister, the Shinzo Abe Axis. At the time, Abe had recently resigned from…
