Catalonia condemns assassination of Shinzo Abe

Former Japanese PM dies after being shot while delivering campaign speech

Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in 2018
Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in 2018 / ACN

ACN | Barcelona

July 8, 2022 04:36 PM

Catalan politicians condemned the assassination of Japan's former PM, Shinzo Abe, who was shot and killed while delivering a speech at a campaign event in the Japanese city of Nara on Friday ahead of the country's election.

Catalan President Pere Aragonès tweeted that he was "shocked" by Abe's assassination. "My condolences to the family and the Japanese people in these difficult times," he wrote, adding that "violence is incompatible with democracy."

Foreign minister Victòria Alsina said she had reached out to the Japanese Consul in Barcelona and described Abe's murder as "an attack on democracy."

Meanwhile, vice president Jordi Puigneró said he was "dismayed by the deadly attack." "We strongly condemn the violence and send our condolences to Japanese society as a whole for this horrible crime."

Spanish government officials were also quick to react to the news. Hours after sending Abe his "best wishes," Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez offered his condolences to his family.

Japanese police have arrested a 41-year-old suspect who is believed to have carried out the attack with a homemade gun.

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