Overview

The Assassination of Shinzo Abe refers to the murder of the former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe that took place on July 8th, 2022, while he was giving a public speech outdoors in Nara, Japan. The shooter, a local Nara resident named Tetsuya Yamagami, reportedly used a homemade shotgun and was apprehended at the scene moments after the attack. The assassination became an actively discussed topic on social media in the following hours and has since been referenced in memes and widely covered by news media around the world.

Background

On July 8th, 2022, at approximately 11:30 a.m. local time (10:30 p.m. EST), former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot at twice while giving a speech in the southern city of Nara, Japan. Abe, who was 67, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition with a bullet wound to his neck and subcutaneous bleeding in his torso. Abe was pronounced dead several hours later at the hospital.^[1][2][3]

The suspected shooter, a 41-year-old Japanese man identified as Nara resident Tetsuya Yamagami, was apprehended at the crime scene. The suspected shooter reportedly carried a handmade shotgun and did not attempt to run away after the attack, reportedly standing and watching the scene after firing (shown below).^[3]

#ShinzoAbe #安倍さんOffender, 41-year-old Japanese national Tetsue Yamagami, served in the Navy.With a homemade double-barreled gun, 2 shots, hit the lung. Abe in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/oS9QTQbQgK

— Random Cassette (@RandomCassette) July 8, 2022

According to Reuters,^[15] Yamagami previously worked at Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Forces for three years but was recently unemployed. The exact motive is unclear, but the suspect reportedly told police that he had a grudge against a "specific organization" he believed Abe was part of and that it was unrelated to politics. Police added it was unclear if the unnamed organization actually existed.

Shinzo Abe served as the prime minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020, and was the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history.

Developments

Following the shooting, world leaders expressed their condolences on social media and in official statements.^[4][5] On the morning of July 8th, 2022, following the assassination, Axios^[16] published an article on the topic that included several quotes from various leaders (excerpts shown below).

"I am stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened by the news that my friend Abe Shinzo, former Prime Minister of Japan, was shot and killed while campaigning." — U.S. President Biden

"He was a unifier like no other, but above all, he was a man who loved and cherished his magnificent country, Japan. Shinzo Abe will be greatly missed. There will never be another like him!" — Former President Trump

"Horrible news of a brutal assassination of former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. I am extending my deepest condolences to his family and the people of Japan at this difficult time. This heinous act of violence has no excuse." — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Online Reactions

Immediately following the shooting, the event became a subject of active discussions on Twitter,^[6] 4chan,^[7] Reddit^[8] and other platforms, as well as coverage by media outlets around the globe.

In addition to discussions, the assassination has immediately inspired memes, with many referencing Shinzo Abe's policies aimed at improving the birth rate in Japan. For example, on July 8th, 2022, Twitter^[9] user @tulpapilled posted a See You Space Cowboy meme that gained over 100 retweets and 1,100 likes in less than 24 hours (shown below, left). On July 7th, Twitter^[10] user @3Dv2D posted a screenshot of the /r/childfree subreddit, writing, "shinzo abe shooting suspect list," with the tweet gaining over 160 retweets and 1,300 likes in eight hours (shown below, center). Also on the 7th, Twitter^[11] user @GasterWho made a tweet referencing Japan's denial of past war crimes that gained over 4,100 retweets and 18,900 likes in a similar timeframe (shown below, right).

More memes were made about the identity of the suspect. For example, on July 7th, Twitter^[12] user @EOA_Bants posted a Sam Hyde Did It meme that gained over 100 retweets and 370 likes in seven hours (shown below, left). A 4chan^[13] user created a /pol/ thread on July 8th in which they jokingly claimed that Japanese game designer Hideo Kojima was the shooter (shown below, center), with the thread gaining over 90 replies in six hours. Also on the 8th, Twitter^[14] user @ZeroTwoMexicana posted a Hot Fuzz "Shame" meme implying that the CIA assassinated Abe, which gained over 90 retweets and 1,000 likes in seven hours (shown below, right).

Hideo Kojima Killed Shinzo Abe Hoax

Hideo Kojima Killed Shinzo Abe Hoax is a July 2022 4chan hoax that claimed that Japanese video game designer Hideo Kojima was the person who assassinated Shinzo Abe. The hoax was spread by a French politician and by Iranian and Greek media, which inspired memes about Hideo Kojima secretly being an assassin.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References