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Japan’s National Police Chief announced Thursday that he will step down to take responsibility for the murder of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
National Police Agency chief Itaru Nakamura’s announcement comes when her agency released a report on how she failed to save Abe’s life on July 8 when he was murdered during an election speech in Nara, Japan. western.
Nakamura did not say when his resignation would be official.
The police report found holes in Abe’s police protection that allowed the alleged attacker to shoot him in the back.
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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a press conference at the prime minister’s official residence on August 28, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan.
(Frank Robichon – Pool / Getty Images)
The alleged gunman, Tetsuya Yamagami, was arrested on the spot and is currently under mental evaluation until the end of November. Yamagami told police he targeted Abe because of the former leader’s connection to the Unification Church, which he hated.
It is suspected that the weapon used to shoot Abe was a homemade firearm as it emitted a large amount of smoke after being fired.
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The news of the former prime minister’s death caused global shockwaves in part due to Japan’s ranking as one of the safest countries in the world to live in along with its well-known strict gun laws.
Gun violence in Japan has been extremely rare for several decades following a 1958 law banning weapons and swords.
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Japanese civilians can obtain firearms if they complete a 13-step program that requires them to join a hunting or shooting club and includes a thorough background and evaluation process.
Abe was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister and held the office for eight consecutive years starting in 2012.
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A car carrying the body of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe leaves Zojoji Temple following his funeral on July 12, 2022 in Tokyo, Japan. (Yuichi Yamazaki / Getty Images)
His mandate was remarkable not just because Japan’s election scene has historically seen relatively high turnover, but because Abe abruptly ended his first term after serving just one year from 2006 to 2007 due to complications related to his chronic ulcerative colitis.
Abe’s family paid tribute to him in a private Buddhist ritual on Thursday to mark the 49th day of his assassination.
The Associated Press and Fox News’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.
