A number of world leaders have shared their good wishes and messages of concern for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after he was gunned down on Friday.
speak earlier to meet with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi at the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in Bali, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was “deeply saddened”.
“I must say before we meet how deeply saddened and concerned we are by the news from Japan about the attempt on Prime Minister Abe’s life,” Blinken said. “We don’t know his condition… Our thoughts, our prayers, are with his family, with the people of Japan. This is a very, very sad moment and we are waiting for news.”
Marsudi added that G20 representatives also conveyed their “sympathy and our prayers” for Abe.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanian wrote in a Twitter post: “Shocking news from Japan that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been shot – our thoughts are with his family and the people of Japan at this time.”
Former Australian Prime Ministers Scott Morrison and Kevin Ruddwhose time in office overlaps with Abe, have also posted their own posts separately.
“PM Abe is a great and wise friend of Australia and one of the most important world leaders of the post-war era. Our prayers are with him, his wife Akie and the people of Japan at this very difficult time,” Morrison wrote.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen also denounced the shooting and called Abe a close friend in a Facebook post.
Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard wrote on Twitter that he deeply regrets the shooting. “We hope he can overcome the serious medical situation he finds himself in,” he wrote.