President sends condolences to former Japan PM Abe’s family

Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has conveyed his condolences to the family of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was fatally shot in a shocking attack during a campaign speech Friday in western Japan.

In a tweet on Friday afternoon, Solih said he was deeply saddened to hear of Abe’s passing.

He described Abe as a statesman of the highest caliber, and conveyed condolences to his family on behalf of the Maldivian people and government.

“PM Abe was a statesman of the highest caliber and, we in Maldives send our sincere condolences to his family, the people and government of Japan as they cope with this tremendous loss,” he said.

Abe, 67, was shot from behind minutes after he started his speech in Nara. He was airlifted to a hospital for emergency treatment but was not breathing and his heart had stopped. He was pronounced dead later at the hospital.

Police arrested the suspected gunman at the scene of an attack. He was identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, 41. He was found to have served in the Maritime Self-Defense Force for three years in the 2000s.