The head of Japan’s National Police Agency an-nounced his resignation on Thursday after an inves-tigation confirmed “shortcomings” in the security plans for assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe.
Abe, the country’s best-known politician and longest-serving premier, was shot and killed while delivering a stump speech on July 8 in the city of Nara in western Japan.
“There were shortcomings in the security plans and the risk assessments on which they were based, and direction from the field commander was insuffi-cient,” Itaru Nakamura told reporters. “The root of this problem lies in the limitations of the current system, which has been in place for years, in which local police bear sole responsibility for providing security.”
Nakamura said he would take responsibility for the failings and step down from his post as police chief.
“We have decided to shake up our personnel and start afresh with our security duties, and that’s why I tendered my resignation to the National Public Safety Commission today,” he said.
Abe’s suspected killer was detained at the scene and is believed to have targeted the politician because he thought he was linked to the Unification Church.
Local police in the area Abe was killed had al-ready acknowledged “undeniable” flaws in security for the former leader, which was comparatively light on the day he was shot.
The Nara police chief also made a tearful resig-nation on Thursday. The National Police Agency’s report said areas south of the podium from which Abe spoke were not properly guarded, leaving a route open for the shooter to approach.—AFP
