Shinzo Abe death: shock in Japan at killing of former PM during election campaign

Police believe attacker bore grudge against Abe as some critics question level of security surrounding Japan’s longest-serving PM

Sorrow and disbelief descended on Japan after Shinzo Abe – the former prime minister and a towering political figure – was shot dead while giving a campaign speech on Friday morning.

Abe, 67, was pronounced dead early in the evening, prompting a flood of tributes from current and former world leaders, and anger that a politician could be gunned down in broad daylight in one of the world’s safest societies two days before an election.

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