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World leaders condemn assassination of Japan’s Abe, pay tributes to ‘nice chief’
TOKYO/KUALA LUMPUR: World leaders condemned Friday’s assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whereas paying tribute to him as a terrific chief.
Abe, 67, was shot from behind in Nara in western Japan whereas giving a marketing campaign speech. He was airlifted to a hospital and later pronounced useless.
Tributes poured in as governments expressed sorrow and solidarity with Japan over the lack of Abe, who was Japan’s longest-serving chief earlier than stepping down in 2020 for well being causes.
US President Joe Biden mentioned he was “surprised, outraged, and deeply saddened” and provided his condolences to Abe’s household. He ordered US flags to be flown at half-staff via July 10 to honor Abe and would cease on the Japanese embassy in Washington en path to remarks at CIA headquarters to signal a condolence e book.
“This can be a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him,” Biden mentioned. “His imaginative and prescient of a free and open Indo-Pacific will endure. Above all, he cared deeply concerning the Japanese folks and devoted his life to their service.”
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who swiftly returned to Tokyo from marketing campaign occasions across the nation, condemned the “unforgivable act.” He mentioned campaigning in addition to Sunday’s elections for parliament’s higher home will proceed.
“The free and truthful election, which is the basis of democracy, must be protected it doesn’t matter what. We is not going to be defeated by violence,” Kishida mentioned.
Biden known as Kishida “a really strong man” and mentioned he didn’t consider the killing was more likely to have “any profound, destabilizing impression on Japanese safety or Japanese solidarity.”
UN Secretary Basic Antonio Guterres mentioned he was “deeply saddened by the horrific killing,” including that he would “all the time bear in mind his collegiality and dedication to multilateralism.”
European Fee chief Ursula von der Leyen tweeted: “The brutal and cowardly homicide” of Abe “shocks the world“
“I’ll by no means perceive the brutal killing of this nice man,” mentioned European Council President Charles Michel in a separate tweet.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the management function taken by the previous premier, saying the UK stands with Japan “at this darkish and unhappy time.”
“Extremely unhappy information about Shinzo Abe. His international management via unchartered occasions will probably be remembered by many,” Johnson tweeted.
In a message of condolence despatched to Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, Queen Elizabeth II mentioned she too was “deeply saddened” by the information of Abe’s loss of life, including that she had “fond recollections of assembly Mr.Abe and his spouse” once they visited the UK in 2016.
French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned “Japan has misplaced a terrific prime minister.”
Abe had “devoted his life to his nation and labored for stability on the earth,” he mentioned in a tweet.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed shock and solidarity with Japan over the killing.
“The lethal assault on Shinzo Abe has left me aghast and deeply unhappy,” the German chief tweeted. “I prolong deep sympathy to his household, my colleague Fumio Kishida and our Japanese associates.”
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi mentioned that his nation was “shocked by the horrible assault that hits Japan and its free democratic debate.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah II mentioned he was shocked and saddened by the assault. “The world misplaced a terrific chief, and Jordan and I misplaced a real pal,” the monarch tweeted.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte termed the assault “cowardly,” and mentioned his ideas had been with Abe’s family members and the Japanese folks.
“At as we speak’s cupboard assembly we paused to mirror on this darkish day for Japanese democracy. I’ve fond recollections of our friendship and the work we did collectively,” he mentioned.
Russian President Vladimir Putin known as the loss of life an “irreplaceable loss.”
In a telegram to Abe’s household, Putin known as Abe an “excellent statesman” who had executed lots to develop “good neighborly ties between our nations.”
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol termed the killing an “unacceptable act of crime.”
“I prolong my comfort and condolences to his household and the Japanese folks for having misplaced their longest-serving prime minister and a revered politician,” Yoon mentioned.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced a day of nationwide mourning on Saturday as a mark of deepest respect for Abe.
“Mr. Abe made an immense contribution to elevating India-Japan relations to the extent of a particular strategic and international partnership. At this time, entire India mourns with Japan and we stand in solidarity with our Japanese brothers and sisters on this troublesome second,” Modi mentioned.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned Abe was considered one of Australia’s closest associates and a “large on the world stage,” including that “his legacy was considered one of international impression, and a profound and optimistic one for Australia. He will probably be drastically missed.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky prolonged his condolences to Abe’s household.
“Horrible information of a brutal assassination of former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. I’m extending my deepest condolences to his household and the folks of Japan at this troublesome time. This heinous act of violence has no excuse,” he tweeted.
Iran decried the capturing as “an act of terrorism.”
“As a rustic that has been a sufferer of terrorism and has misplaced nice leaders to terrorists, we’re following the information intently and with concern,” Iran’s Overseas Ministry spokesperson mentioned.
“I’m deeply saddened by the lack of my pricey pal Abe, the previous prime minister of Japan, in an armed assault. I condemn those that carried out this heinous assault,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned.
The Chinese language embassy in Japan mentioned it was “shocked” by the capturing.
“Throughout his tenure, former Prime Minister Abe made contributions to the development and improvement of China-Japan relations. We categorical our condolences on his passing and categorical sympathy and solicitude for his household,” an embassy spokesperson mentioned.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo prolonged condolences on Twitter.
“We’ll all the time bear in mind his contributions in strengthening RI-Japan cooperation,” he wrote. “Could the household of PM Abe and the Japanese folks be given power on this troublesome time.”
Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro expressed “excessive indignation” on the killing and declared three days of official mourning in solidarity with Japan.
Bolsonaro described Abe as a “sensible chief” and “nice pal of Brazil” in a tweet that included a photograph of the 2 males shaking fingers on the World Financial Discussion board in Davos, Switzerland, in 2019.
Brazil is house to the biggest Japanese group exterior of the archipelago, with about 1.9 million immigrants and descendants.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau known as Abe’s assassination “extremely surprising.”
“The world has misplaced a terrific man of imaginative and prescient, and Canada has misplaced an in depth pal,” he mentioned, providing condolences to Abe’s widow and the folks of Japan.
“Surprising information from Japan that former PM Shinzo Abe has been shot,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tweeted after the assault.
“Our ideas are together with his household and the folks of Japan presently.”
Former president Donald Trump additionally weighed in, saying the detained murderer “will hopefully be handled swiftly and harshly.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken mourned Abe as a visionary chief who boosted relations between the 2 allies.
Assembly his Japanese and South Korean counterparts collectively at a G20 assembly in Bali, Blinken mentioned Abe “introduced the connection between our nations, the US and Japan, to new heights.”
The Worldwide Olympic Committee praised Abe for his “imaginative and prescient, willpower and dependability” that allowed it to postpone the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for one yr due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It mentioned the Olympic flag will probably be flown at half employees at Olympic Home in Lausanne for 3 days.
(With AFP and AP)
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