By AFP
TOKYO: A funeral hearse carrying the body of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Tokyo on Saturday from the western Japanese city where he was shot on the campaign trail.
An AFP journalist saw the vehicle enter Abe’s residence in the Japanese capital, while TV footage showed senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party dressed in black and lined up to pay their respects.
The murder of the 67-year-old, who had been Japan’s longest-serving leader, stunned the nation and prompted an international outpouring of grief and condemnation.
Abe was shot shortly before noon while campaigning in the western region of Nara ahead of weekend upper house elections.
He had suffered two gunshot wounds to the neck and died of massive blood loss.
He was flown by helicopter to the Nara Medical University hospital where he was pronounced dead several hours later.
