Hiroshi Moriyama, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s election strategy chairman, told NHK: “That something like this happened in the middle of an election campaign that constitutes the foundation of democracy is regrettable. It’s an unforgivable atrocity.”
Security at local campaign events in Japan can be relatively relaxed, in a country with little violent crime and strict gun laws.
But the country bolstered security around politicians after the assassination of Abe, who was shot and killed while speaking at a campaign event in July 2022.
His alleged assassin, Tetsuya Yamagami, reportedly targeted him over his links to the Unification Church, and the incident sparked revelations about the connection between the sect and political figures in Japan.
Yamagami was reportedly angry at the sect over large donations his mother made to the group that left the family bankrupt.
The head of Japan’s National Police Agency resigned in the wake of Abe’s assasination after an investigation confirmed “shortcomings” in the security for the former leader.
The investigation slammed a system under which local police were given responsibility for the security of visiting senior officials.
It concluded that areas south of Abe’s podium were not properly guarded, leaving an open route for the shooter to approach.
With proper security, “it is deemed highly probable that this incident could have been prevented”, the report concluded.
The head of Nara’s local police also offered his tearful resignation after Abe’s death.
Kishida is to host a G7 summit in Hiroshima next month. Japan’s foreign ministry said after the incident on Saturday that there would be no change to the security plan for a G7 foreign ministers’ meeting starting on Sunday in the resort city of Karuizawa.