Japanese embassy in Juba flies flag at half mask after death of ex-premier

JUBA – The Japanese embassy in Juba on Friday confirmed the death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who was shot twice while on an election campaign in the country’s southern part, and revealed that the embassy is flying the flag at half-mast.

The man who is suspected to have shot Abe has been identified by the Japanese media as 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, a resident of Nara city, the BBC reports.

He is reported to be a former member of Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force, the country’s navy, but the defence ministry has not officially confirmed this. Japanese broadcaster NHK reports Yamagami as telling police he was “dissatisfied with Abe and wanted to kill him”.

The suspect is now in police custody. Eyewitnesses said they saw a man carrying what they described as a large gun and firing twice at Abe from behind.

In a statement, the Japanese embassy in Juba said the whole Japan is saddened with the demise of the former premier and expressed its condolences to the former prime minister’s family.

“Japan is saddened with the untimely death of former Prime Minister ABE Shinzo, who was shot to death today, on 8 July 2022,” the statement by the embassy said.

“The Embassy of Japan, representing the Japanese people in South Sudan, expresses our deep sorrow and extends our condolences to the bereaved family,” it added.