The assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has shaken the nation to its core. Abe was murdered while making a speech in support of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) candidate in Nara in the run-up to last weekend’s elections – but, based on early reports, the shooting did not have a political motive.
Tetsuya Yamagami, who stands accused of the murder, was reportedly motivated by anger towards a religious cult that he blamed for the loss of his family’s fortune. His mother has subsequently been identified as a member of the Unification Church, also referred to as the “Moonies”. Full details have yet to emerge.
Abe is arguably the most important figure on the right of Japanese post-war politics. He served as prime minister between 2006 and 2007, resigning due to ill-health, and then again from 2012 to 2020 when he stepped down – citing a return of the ulcerative colitis which had cut short his first term of office. His prime ministership was marked by his new approach to economics, which became known as “Abenomics” and involved structural economic reforms coupled with quantitative easing to encourage lending and investment.
