World Leaders React to News of Shinzo Abe’s Death

WThe leaders of ORLD paid tribute to the former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, after being shot in the campaign for his political allies on Friday morning.

Learn more:: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot. What we know so far

A fumio kishida with a tearful, current eyes of the Japanese Prime Minister, sentenced the assassination when he appeared before Japanese journalists after the news of Abe’s death. Kishida described Abe as a “personal friend” with whom he spent a lot of time.

Prime Minister Narenda Modi, a good friend of Abe, announcement This July 9 will be a national day of mourning in India as a brand of “deep respect” for the late Japanese leader. Modi recalled how he visited Abe during his last trip to Japan, noting that he did not expect this meeting to be their last.

Abe had made great progress to improve diplomatic links between Japan and India during his mandate, including the signing of a historic civilian agreement in 2016.

In a statement, US President Joe Biden said he was “amazed, indignant and deeply saddened” by the news. “The longest Japanese Prime Minister, his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will last.” Abe favored solid links with Washington in his long rule of the decade.

European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron, also shared their condolences. “We are close close to Japan in these difficult hours,” said Scholz tweeted. “Japan has lost a great Prime Minister”, Macron said.

The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, denounced the attack “cowardly” against Abe, which he called “a real friend” and a “fierce defender of multilateral order and democratic values”. The European Union is a large trading partner and investment in Japan.

In a statement, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that Abe was one of the “friends closest to the world scene in Australia”. During his first mandate in 2007, Abe launched a four-way alliance between Japan, India, the United States and Australia which facilitated security and economic cooperation.

Outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that ABE’s “world leadership” will remain memories. “The United Kingdom is with you at the moment dark and sad,” he said.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg sent his “biggest condolences” to Abe’s family and Kishida in a tweet. Although Japan is not a member of NATO, Abe has paved the way for a stronger partnership with the Transatlantic Alliance.

A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Japan expressed his shock about Abe’s assassination in a statement and has conducted condolences to his family. During his post as Prime Minister, Abe tried to improve relations between Japan and China, but his comments last year on the independence of Taiwan aroused the criticism of Beijing.

Taiwan president Tsai Ing-Wen said in a statement that “the international community has lost an important leader, but Taiwan has also lost an important and close friend. Taiwan and Japan are both democratic countries with the rule of law, and our government seriously condemns violent and illegal acts. ”

South Korean president Yoon Suk-Yeol sent his condolences to the Japanese people, condemning the shooting as “an unforgivable act of crime”.

Abe became the oldest Prime Minister in Japan before resigning in 2020 due to poor health. However, he remained as one of the most influential political figures in contemporary Japan.

In the streets of Tokyo, the inhabitants expressed their disbelief. “The shooting of an eminent silhouette like Shinzo Abe, the oldest Prime Minister in Japan, is deeply shocking,” said Kanae Hayakawa, a 36 -year -old office worker Time. “And now, I fear it – the fact that such an incident took place here in Japan reflects social instability and the dissatisfaction of people with society. I really hope that the shooting incident will not trigger additional instability here. And I also wonder how the incident will have an impact on the election on Sunday.”

– With MAYAKO Shibata report in Tokyo and Eloise Barry in London