Shinzo Abe ;the longest serving PM of Japan from 2012 to 2020,;and the youngest PM in post WWII history was assassinated while campaigning for his party . He was a staunch ally of the United States . He resigned due to having chronic ulcerative colitis.

While in office he instituted an economic program that was dubbed 'Abenomics ' (more currency weakening and government stimulus spending ) .But the economy was improving until covid and the Tokyo Olympics were cancelled .

He raised Japan's global image and increased Japan's defensive military presence reversing years of a Constitutional policy of pacifism. He stabilized relations with China, where anti-Japanese protests had raged in the weeks before his second election. The relationship has again soured after China's crackdown on Hong Kong.
Similarly he tried to mend territorial disputes with Russia . The reproachment has reversed since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

As a side note . Japan has arguably the toughest gun laws .To obtain a gun in Japan ,one needs to apply for a permit, attend a class on gun safety and laws, and pass a written test. There is a full day training course on safe shooting and practicing techniques. There are multiple rounds of checks and verification on the gun owner’s background and health, including information about their family, mental health, personal debt, and criminal record. The gun must be registered with and inspected by police. It appears the assassin used a home made shot gun.(from the amount of smoke from the blast )Abe was shot from behind .

Can't help but wonder how on earth someone managed to get that close to Abe with a homemade shotgun and fire not just once, but twice. That's pretty much the definition of lax security.

Why was security needed?

Uhm...the man was killed.

And was killed with what? (How likely would a shooting be in Japan? When was the most recent one? How many a year?)

***Firearms are strictly regulated in Japan, a country of some 125 million people. Annual deaths from guns are regularly in single figures, rarely exceeding 10 per year.

Getting a gun licence is a long and complicated process for Japanese citizens.

Japanese gun-ownership restrictions do not allow private citizens to have handguns.***
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/7/8/largely-gun-free-japan-shock-after-shinzo-abe-fatal-shooting

***Firearms are strictly regulated in Japan, a country of some 125 million people. Annual deaths from guns are regularly in single figures, rarely exceeding 10 per year.Yep. Worked out real well for Abe, didn't it? For a former prime minister you would think there would at least be a few uniformed cops keeping an eye out. They still have knives and fists, after all, and as it turned out, some homemade guns. A little common sense would have kept the man alive.

It isn't safe anywhere, is it.

Thank you for your response. I hope you noticed that I included a link.

Japan is a remarkably safe country, and yet it happened. I still can't imagine a man of Abe's stature giving a speech with either no security, or security so poor that a man could basically walk up with a homemade gun and just kill the man. Incredible.

I commend you for your link.

***Police said that Tetsuya Yamagishi, a 41-year-old unemployed man, was arrested at the scene and was being investigated for murder. The suspect confessed to his crime, police said, adding that he told them he harbored a grudge against a group he believed was connected to Abe. Yamagishi also claimed to police that he had previously worked at Japan's Navy for three years.

Video footage of Abe’s speech showed a puff of white smoke appear behind the former leader along with two loud cannon-like blasts. Security officers were seen tackling a man to the ground, with video and photos showing what appeared to be an improvised weapon lying on the ground.***
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/japan-shinzo-abe-shot-rcna37228

The point is that if someone is determined to kill they will find a way. Clearly the security was lax because they were lulled into a false sense of security with their tough laws

Good point, tomder!

Clearly the security was lax because they were lulled into a false sense of security with their tough lawsYes, that was a good point, which makes people wonder why on earth WG ever said this. "Why was security needed?

why on earth WG ever said this. "Why was security needed?
Why? Because of tough gun laws. My question was to stimulate discussion.

We learned the hard way with the near assignation of Reagan. We learned that even Congress was not safe when a Bernie Sanders supporter targeted Republican members of Congress. I hope we learned when a would-be assassin targetted Bret Kavanaugh. I hope we learned when a would-be assassin put a bullet in Gabby Grifford

Security matters. Gun laws don't matter Due diligence does matter.

What about better, more coherent, mental health responses? Crimo had problems even as a young boy, many flowing from parental conflicts that overwhelmed him.

Yep. It's hard to imagine how anyone could have walked up to within twenty feet or so of Abe carrying a gun that appears to be perhaps 20" long in a fairly sparse crowd and get off two shots without being noticed by the half-dozen or so security guards who were all too ready to take action when it was too late. Let us hope we learn something from that.

Mental health responses? You mean from the people who have decided that there are dozens of genders? Don't have much confidence in that one. Perhaps we should return to a genuine respect for the sacredness of human life. I'll recount a quick story.

I was at our now closed (thank God!) abortion clinic several weeks ago. Two journalists from the Boston Globe were there. They clearly had no intention of interviewing the pro-life side. I asked one as she was leaving if she would talk with us. She claimed she would, but then never came back, so I found one of them in a nearby coffee shop and asked if she minded if I talked with her a bit. She agreed. Towards the end of a not very long discussion, I suggested she do some research on how abortions are performed. She replied that she didn't need to do that since the "clinic" had allowed her to watch one that very morning. I asked if she had witnessed the doctor pulling out the arms, legs, head, etc. and reassembling it all on a metal tray. She said she had. I was a little shocked, so I asked her if she was OK with that. "It's the woman's choice," she coolly answered. I would suggest that getting from that level of hard-heartedness to shooting an innocent person is not a very long trip. It might be no distance at all.

half-dozen or so security guards who were all too ready to take action when it was too late. Let us hope we learn something from that.

That has been my constant theme about 2nd amendment rights . The police are there to maybe apprehend the perp after the fact and to draw chalk lines around the victim .

And what about those people standing next to Abe's assassin?

What about better, more coherent, mental health responses? Crimo had problems even as a young boy, many flowing from parental conflicts that overwhelmed him.

Legit points needing addressing . Gun laws don't address them

And what about those people standing next to Abe's assassin?Good question. Still, they are not trained, well-paid security. There is no excuse in my mind for that abysmal failure.

I was at our now closed (thank God!) abortion clinic several weeks ago. Two journalists from the Boston Globe were there. They clearly had no intention of interviewing the pro-life side. I asked one as she was leaving if she would talk with us. She claimed she would, but then never came back, so I found one of them in a nearby coffee shop and asked if she minded if I talked with her a bit. She agreed. Towards the end of a not very long discussion, I suggested she do some research on how abortions are performed. She replied that she didn't need to do that since the "clinic" had allowed her to watch one that very morning. I asked if she had witnessed the doctor pulling out the arms, legs, head, etc. and reassembling it all on a metal tray. She said she had. I was a little shocked, so I asked her if she was OK with that. "It's the woman's choice," she coolly answered. I would suggest that getting from that level of hard-heartedness to shooting an innocent person is not a very long trip. It might be no distance at all.

wow !!!

It was really stunning. I wish I had taken a pic of the look on her face.

Why are abortions done? "Ho hum. This pregnancy is taking forever. I'm tired of it" or "I've decided I don't want a baby after all" or "I thought I was just putting on weight. This has to end. I want to be skinny again".

Would those reasons be legally acceptable for you?

Would those reasons be legally acceptable for you?
Not at all!

Are there acceptable reasons for an abortion?

Not at all!Here are, again, the reasons you would disallow.

"Ho hum. This pregnancy is taking forever. I'm tired of it." 1. Tired of being pregnant.
"I've decided I don't want a baby after all." 2. Does not want to have a baby.
"I thought I was just putting on weight. This has to end. I want to be skinny again". 3. Does not want the weight gain.

This is really fascinating. Why would you say "no" for those three?

This is really fascinating. Why would you say "no" for those three?
Please explain why you are asking me this question.

Please explain why you are asking me this question.Never mind. Fear rears its ugly head again.

Just so you'll know how it's done, you asked what reasons I would accept. I would accept a genuine and immediate threat to the mother's life. Note that I did not bother to ask why you wanted to know that. It's how discussions proceed. I am not afraid to voice my positions or to defend them.

Never mind. Fear rears its ugly head again.
Why are you fearful?

Just so you'll know how it's done, you asked what reasons I would accept. I would accept a genuine and immediate threat to the mother's life.
The same reason I would accept. Also, if there is something seriously, incurably wrong with the fetus.

Why are you fearful?Try thinking rather than just copying. I answered your question. Have you answered mine???


The same reason I would accept. Also, if there is something seriously, incurably wrong with the fetus.So, to be clear, you would only allow those two reasons for an abortion to be legal, and would legally disallow the three reasons you posted earlier?

What's "legal" won't stop any woman who wants an abortion.

It's a silly argument. No law stops ALL illegal activity, but the laws certainly make those illegal actions far more difficult and much less frequent, just like laws against murder, robbery, rape, libel, slander, and assault make those actions much less frequent. But since they don't stop all of those crimes, should we make them legal? Should we make rape and other sexual assaults legal? How about murder? And why would you call for gun control laws? They won't stop ALL gun crimes. Why do you have a double standard?

The argument is just ridiculous. Even worse is your evasive attempt at trying to portray yourself as having a moral position on abortion when, in fact, you really don't. And that is why I asked you, "Why would you say "no" for those three?". You realized that and just tried making an end run around the question. I know you very well by now, WG.

How many times have you been pregnant?

An even worse argument. I've never had uterine cancer, but I am definitely against it. I was never discriminated against for being black, but I'm against that, too. It's just terrible logic. And it clearly is just an attempt at changing the subject away from topics which you know are not good for your views.

Thus, you have no empathy.

Another specious point.

Then show us!

Why are abortions done?

convenience but this is about the assassination of a former PM of Japan .and not ANOTER abortion discussion,

I have been standing on the sidewalk of an abortion clinic the past three or so years in order to preserve the lives of the unborn children you care nothing about. Now that we have won that battle, in our state at least, then the attention will shift to pregnancy centers already setup and being run by pro-life groups since the abortionists don't give a rip. That's in addition to ministering to men trying to get out of addiction at a drug rehab center. We also send Bibles to Africa and to a prison ministry. Last year we supported a ministry in Uganda which was providing food to Africans whose crops had been devastated by locusts. This year we have sponsored pastor conferences for them. God has blessed us by allowing us to do these things for which I give Him great praise. It would not be possible without the blessing of Jesus so all praise for these things go to Him.

What have you been doing?

What are you doing to help people in your own neighborhood, in your own circle? No signs, no shouting, no accosting. Bloom where you are planted!

Do you disallow ALL forms of abortion, or would certain situations be acceptable to you?

But what have YOU been doing?

With God's help in guiding me into careers that use my skills and education plus giving me the opportunities to help others, I am blooming where I have been planted.

As am I.

here is the gun used in the assassination
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FXJzIF9WAAgyFZu?format=jpg&name=small

Easily hidden under his clothes or in a backpack or bag. "Authorities added that while he went down the fire escape, the weapon fell out of his bag in an alley."
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/police-share-photo-highland-park-050132706.html

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/vE5FhBOZhXSy4beS1XG8FQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MTtjZj13ZWJw/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/vmrCGCmU_nZ4TBrXziQuYQ--~B/aD04MDE7dz0xMjAwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media.zenfs.com/en/the_independent_635/f3e041d93257d5f498a76f1511e2c577

when pipes and duct tape are outlawed only criminals will have pipes and duct tape.

Easily hidden under his clothes or in a backpack or bagUntil it came time to use it. Just poor security. At any rate, the two pics are clearly not of the same weapon.

Just hit me that WG's pic is from the Highland Park suspect's gun. It is some sort of foldable weapon. Can't help but wonder what holds the barrel to the breach. Oh well.

Sorry. My brain is stuck on the Highland Park shooting. I live south of Highland Park. Will try to get more info for you, JL.

Yes, tomder posted the picture of the gun that killed Abe.

No problem. It was still in interesting pic.

Similar to tomder's photo --

https://www.businessinsider.com/photo-gun-used-kill-japanese-pm-shinzo-abe-home-made-2022-7