News

Taiwan Has Lost ‘A True Friend’ With Shinzo Abe’s Death: President Tsai

Distressed Patriotic Flag Unisex T-Shirt - Celebrate Comfort and Country $11.29 USD Get it here>>


Taiwan’s president ordered public institutions to fly national flags at half-mast on Monday to honor former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was fatally shot while delivering a campaign speech on July 8.

President Tsai Ing-wen said on Saturday that she instructed her government to fly flags at half-mast for a day to mourn Abe’s demise and to honor his “great friendship” with Taiwan.

Tsai also visited the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association’s office in Taipei on Monday to pay her tribute to Abe. She recalled their last conversation in March, when Abe expressed a desire to visit Taiwan, Japan’s broadcaster NHK reported.

Abe, Japan’s longest-serving leader, was shot and killed on July 8 during a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. Police immediately arrested a 41-year-old man wielding a homemade gun at the scene.

Tsai issued a statement hours after the news of Abe’s death broke, offering her heartfelt condolences on behalf of her country.

Epoch Times Photo
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York during her visit to the U.S., in Manhattan, N.Y., on July 11, 2019. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

“Not only has the world lost a true leader, Taiwan has also lost a true friend, and that as Taiwan and Japan are both democratic nations that respect the rule of law, our government strongly condemns this illegal act of violence,” she said.

Abe “spared no effort” in promoting Taiwan–Japan relations and helped facilitate Japan’s donations of COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan, according to Presidential Office spokesman Xavier Chang.

Chang said that Abe “stood firmly” with Taiwan to jointly maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and to develop new strategic frameworks to address challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Taiwan and Japan will continue to help each other, showing the world that the virtuous cycle of support between our countries will not be diminished by acts of violence, but will only continue to grow stronger,” he added.

Abe was known for his hawkish stance on China, following his revitalizing of the Quad forum and nationalizing the uninhabited Senkaku Islands that China claimed as part of its territory and called the Diaoyu Islands.

He said at a forum last year that “a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency, and therefore an emergency for the Japan–U.S. alliance.”

Abe, who stepped down as prime minister in 2020, said an armed invasion of Taiwan would pose a serious threat to Japan, given that the Senkaku Islands, Sakishima Islands, and Yonaguni Island are only 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the Chinese-claimed island.

Chinese Nationalists Celebrate

While Abe’s death has drawn condolences from across political divides and from around the world, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping, some Chinese nationalists have taken to social media to celebrate the event that befell Abe.

Chinese artist and human rights activist Badiucao posted on Twitter, along with a series of screenshots of comments, that “Chinese nationalists on [Chinese social media platform Weibo] described Abe’s killer as a “hero.”

One person commented: “I hate my country’s government, but that doesn’t stop me from loving my country or celebrating Abe’s death. Good to die! Pop champagne! Well done.”

Badiucao also cited tweets saying: “I am waiting for Abe’s death,” “Who is the attacker? I want to donate money,” and “I have to say, it’s great news.”

Abe’s Murder Suspect

Local media reported that the suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, told police that he intended to kill Abe because he believed that the ex-premier was connected to a religious organization that had bankrupted his family.

Police have not identified the group. Yamagami told investigators that he initially targeted the organization’s leader, “but it was difficult,” so he decided to change target.

Police suspected that Yamagami followed Abe’s schedule on social media and attended a campaign election in Okayama where Abe was also delivering a speech the day before the shooting, The Asahi Shimbun reported, citing investigative sources.

Epoch Times Photo
Tetsuya Yamagami, suspected of killing former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is escorted by a police officer as he is taken to prosecutors, at Nara-nishi police station in Nara, western Japan, on July 10, 2022. (Kyodo via Reuters)

Officials from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said attendees to the Okayama hall were required to provide their names and contact information before entering the hall, whereas in Nara, Abe was giving a speech outside, allowing the suspect to approach him from behind.

Meanwhile, LDP candidate Sanshiro Matsuyama reported receiving two phone calls from a 67-year-old man warning him that he could be the next victim after the news of shooting broke out. The police apprehended Akira Uematsu, who allegedly made the phone calls.

Aldgra Fredly

Follow

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer based in Malaysia, covering Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.





Source link

TruthUSA

I'm TruthUSA, the author behind TruthUSA News Hub located at https://truthusa.us/. With our One Story at a Time," my aim is to provide you with unbiased and comprehensive news coverage. I dive deep into the latest happenings in the US and global events, and bring you objective stories sourced from reputable sources. My goal is to keep you informed and enlightened, ensuring you have access to the truth. Stay tuned to TruthUSA News Hub to discover the reality behind the headlines and gain a well-rounded perspective on the world.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.