Shinzo Abe assassination: Japan marks 1-year since former PM gunned down

On Saturday, Japan marked one year since former prime minister Shinzo Abe was gunned down during an election speech by a man angry at his links to the Unification Church. At a private memorial service at a Tokyo Buddhist temple, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, senior officials, lawmakers and Abe's widow Akie gathered to reflect on the past year. Kishida pledged that he would "carry on the will of the deceased Abe.”

"We will continue sowing seeds for the future including working on constitutional revision and measures to ensure stable imperial succession, and do our utmost to resolve national issues such as the abduction, as well as carve out a path to a new era with strength, " Kishida said during the gathering after attendees sang the national anthem and observed a moment of silence.

At an outside altar, mourners also expressed being “shocked” by the event last year and prayed that it would never happen again. “As for me, I will support politicians who carry on the work of Abe's administration,” said Atsuhiro Ueda, a 35-year-old office worker.

Abe is remembered for pursuing economic policies aimed at ending years of deflation, including aggressive monetary easing, fiscal stimulus, and deregulation. Critics said those measures also opened up an income gap. He also championed an aggressive defence policy that increased military spending and reinterpreted Japan's war-renouncing constitution to allow Japanese troops to fight overseas for the first time since World War Two.

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[USAMex]

A year already… not enough coverage in the USA of his assassination.. RIP 🙏

[thinix]

The war crime denier deserved it. Trying to revise his country’s evil history was absolutely heartless and disrespectful to the men who died in ww2.

[sgt.puddingslaps]

This is my first time hearing about this

[archermadsen]

He was a war crime denying fascist. I am one of the millions who will not cry for the death of such a monster. Not when the murder and rape of millions is still defended by Japan.

[Jgjules]

I’m half-Japanese and live in the states. This hardly got any coverage. I bet a very small percentage of society even know this happened. Truly shocked! Especially as we’re one of each other’s biggest ally’s

[soniagunu]

The killer should be given the worst to worst punishment .

[TheStraightArmy]

One year since a hero did the right thing.

[catmoon]

Shinzo Abe is the japanese version of Abraham Lincoln. Both were assassinated and both have the same name.

[derekwoodford]

gun violence in gun free zones won't get a lot of coverage from people who want to see poor people disarmed and at the mercy of criminals.

[JoshuaParris]

I can't believe it's only been one year since Shinzo Abe died. I was wondering, did they ever give the perpetrator a prison sentence or death sentence yet?

[grodzod]

May god bless you Minister Abe. You really tried to make your country strong.

[BeijingGenocideOlympic.]

My condolences to the family of Mr. Shinzo Abe, a truth Japanese 🇯🇵 and world leader.
He was a fierce defender of democracy and Japan's allies including Taiwan 🇹🇼 by allowing troops to fight overseas.
- His speeches often angered the authoritarian surveillance regime amid his outspoken against the Chinese🇨🇳 expansionism.