Finance
Police in Japan have announced the formation of a 90-member task force to investigate the murder of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who died after being shot at while speaking at an election campaign rally in Nara city.
Nara prefectural police made the announcement late Friday night at a press conference, according to state broadcaster NHK.
The police said they will review the security arrangements in place while Abe delivered his speech near Nara’s Yamatosaidaiji Station on Friday morning.
Officials also admitted that they only found out about the late leader’s visit to Nara the night before.
Meanwhile, Yamagami Tetsuya, a 41-year-old suspect arrested at the scene, admitted to shooting Abe and explained that he had a grudge against a “certain organization” that he believed the former Prime Minister was involved with.
Yamagami told the cops that his mother was involved in the organization and had donated a large sum of money, causing serious problems for his family.
According to the police, the suspect used a homemade gun about 40 cm long, according to NHK.
The police also conducted a search at Yamagami’s home, where they seized several handmade metal and wooden guns that resembled the one used in the attack.
They also took the suspect’s belongings, which included a shoulder bag, smartphone, and wallet.
According to the suspect, he is currently unemployed and previously served with the Self-Defense Forces for three years until 2005.
Abe was Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, and his death at the age of 67 stunned a country where gun crime is extremely uncommon.
During the attack, he was shot twice in the neck and had his heart damaged.
A hearse carrying Abe’s body was seen leaving the hospital in Nara around 6 a.m. on Saturday to return to his home in Tokyo, according to the BBC.
Source:OCN
