A teary-eyed Fumio Kishida, Japan’s current prime minister, condemned the assassination as he appeared before Japanese journalists following the news of Abe’s death. Kishida described Abe as a “personal friend” with whom he spent a lot of time.
Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi, a good friend of Abe, ad that July 9 will be a day of national mourning in India as a show of “deep respect” for the late Japanese leader. Modi recalled how he visited Abe on his most recent trip to Japan, noting that he did not expect this meeting to be the last.
Abe had made great strides to improve diplomatic relations between Japan and India during his tenure, including signing a historic civil nuclear deal in 2016 .
In a release US President Joe Biden said he was “stunned, outraged and deeply saddened” by the news. “Japan’s longest serving prime minister, his vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific will endure.” abe fostered strong ties with Washington in his government of almost a decade
EU leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron, also shared their condolences. “We are very close to Japan in these difficult hours,” tweeted Scholz. “Japan has lost a great prime minister”, said Macron.
European Council President Charles Michel denounced the “cowardly” attack on Abe, whom he called “a true friend” and a “fierce defender of the multilateral order and democratic values.” The European Union is an important trade and investment partner of Japan.