Life in Japan: Shinzo Abe’s Assassination

History is always being made whether we realize it or not. On Friday, July 8, 2022, at around 11:30 AM Japan time, Shinzo Abe was assassinated. The whole country was shocked at hearing the news. Many people wished for Abe’s recovery, that is until 5:03 PM Japan time, when the NHK announced his passing.

This was a shocking and saddening event for me. While I have my disagreements with Abe’s politics, he’s a statesman worthy of respect. Abe was the embodiment of resilience for me. In fact, he inspired me to return to Japan as a participant on the JET Program. While I won’t go into the specifics of why, I will discuss the facts as of Sunday, July 10, 2022.

The Facts

Shinzo Abe was campaigning in the city of Nara, a former capital of Japan, for a lower house candidate. Abe began his speech at 11:29 AM local time. Shortly after, a former Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force sailor shot Abe with an improvised shotgun. The shotgun was made of two metal tubes, wood, and duct tape. Eyewitnesses described the scene as the gunman approaching Abe from behind, firing the improvised weapon. Abe then turned around, only to get shot by the second blast. The ammunition piercing the former Prime Minister’s neck, chest, and heart. Abe collapsed shortly after while the gunman, who I refuse to name, was tackled by Abe’s security detail.

Reports stated that Abe was initially conscious, but he quickly fell unconscious due to internal and external bleeding. Abe was evacuated to Nara University Hospital via helicopter, where doctors attempted to save the former Prime Minister’s life. Media reports stated that Abe was suffering from 心肺停止 (shinpai teishi), or “Cardio-pulmonary arrest.” At 5:03 PM, a doctor declared Shinzo Abe dead, thus ending a significant era in Japanese political history.

“Cardio-pulmonary arrest”

In Japan, only licensed medical doctors can declare someone dead. In my personal opinion, former Prime Minister Abe was dead on arrival at Nara University Hospital. This is because emergency medical technicians (EMTs), police, and other first responders cannot legally declare someone dead. Therefore, the euphemism “Cardio-pulmonary arrest” is used to describe someone as “dead, but waiting for the proper official to confirm.”

The Motive (fact and opinion)

While I refuse to name the gunman, here’s what we know so far about his motive. His mother made large donations to a South Korean church, which, according to the gunman, bankrupted his mother. Those associated with the church tend to lean right wing, and Abe was known for his right wing politics. The gunman believed there was a secret connection between Abe and this church, and grew frustrated with the church. While the gunman did not disagree with Abe’s politics, the gunman was frustrated with the church. Many think the gunman was looking for an excuse to kill, rather than getting revenge on the church itself. This is a developing story, so please take this section with a grain of salt.

The Impact

I gave a demo lesson to students at a local Junior High School on the morning of Friday, July 8, 2022. My Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) and I had just returned to our school to finish our respective work days. I was eating lunch at my desk when the news of Abe’s assassination broke around 12:00 PM local time. The office was quiet, and it was business as usual for the most part.

I spoke to my friend, the Native English Teacher (NET), who nodded in acknowledgement about the news. We did not say anything else on the matter, it was business as usual at my workplace.

Throughout the day, I checked the NHK, and other media sources, for news regarding Abe. I already assumed he was dead due to the cultural connotation of “cardio-pulmonary arrest.” But everyone, including my JET Program friends, waited for the official announcement of Abe’s passing before jumping to conclusions. Wise of them, but let’s be honest, there was no hope of any recovery.

Abe’s Legacy

Shinzo Abe was a once-in-a-lifetime leader for Japan; he brought stability during an unstable time in Japanese history. Prior to his second run as Prime Minister from 2012 to 2020, Japan had one new Prime Minister per year. Since his resignation in September 2020, Japan has already seen two Prime Ministers: Yoshihide Suga and Fumio Kishida.

Abe is perhaps best known for his economic stimulus package known as “Abenomics.” This package of fiscal stimulus, monetary easing, and structural reforms helped stabilize Japan’s economy for the first time in decades. Japan also experienced GDP growth for the first time in ages. Abenomics yielded mixed results, and said policy to this day is considered divisive.

More polarizing was his goal of repealing Article Nine of the Japanese Constitution. This would have allowed Japan to have its own military once again. Abe was hawkish on Chinese aggression and sought to better defend Japan from its neighbors. While Abe was not successful in repealing Article Nine, he did expand Japan’s self defense capabilities.

While Abe was regarded as a popular politician who brought stability to Japan, he was not without his controversies. Many, especially in the West, regard him as a right-wing nationalist who denied Japan’s atrocities during World War II. He was involved in an organization called “Nippon Kaigi,” which advocates for revising Japanese wartime history, among other controversies. These issues are controversial within Japan, but we do not often speak about them here. In addition, I am required to speak of the Japanese government in a neutral manner as part of my employment. This is all I will say on the matter.

What I Think of Shinzo Abe

This part is not important to the post whatsoever. Earlier in my post, I stated that Abe represented resilience to me. This was because Abe suffered from Ulcerative Colitis, a disease which causes inflammation in the inner lining of the Large Intestine. Abe suffered from this disease from his early 20s onwards, resulting in health scares in both 2007 and 2020. Abe cited this disease as the reason for his two resignations as Prime Minister. However, others will say he used it as a way to save face due to poor approval ratings during those years.

My point is, he suffered from a disease with no cure and became Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister in its history. He brought stability to the Japanese economy, and became the face of Japan on the global stage. While many Americans in particular can only name a few foreign leaders, Shinzo Abe was one. He stood out as a true American ally, statesman, and leader.

Mr. Abe, we never met, but thank you for your service. Thank you for inspiring me to push through my own battles and return to your country to teach English.

You will be missed.