TOKYO – Japan’s political establishment was shaken to the core Friday by a fatal shooting attack on former prime minister Shinzo Abe, the nation’s longest-serving leader.
Gun assaults are exceedingly rare in Japan, which has some of the strictest firearm laws among leading economies. Comparatively low-key security, long a feature of Japanese politics, has been a source of pride.
The shooting death of one of the nation’s most prominent political figures is sure to change domestic security norms – and perhaps toss an element of uncertainty into Sunday’s parliamentary elections.
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