Shinzo Abe was at a campaign event when he was shot dead
(Picture: PA Archive)The Japanese police chief is to resign over the fatal shooting of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe at a campaign event last month.
National Police Agency Chief Itaru Nakamura said today he will take responsibilty for the assassination, which rocked the country in the lead up to their national elections.
The resignation comes as his agency released a report on how it failed to save Abe’s life on July 8 when he was gunned down in Nara in western Japan.
The police report found holes in Abe’s police protection that allowed the alleged attacker to shoot him from behind.
Photos circulating in the aftermath of the shooting showed the suspect standing just behind Mr Abe as he gave his speech.
Mr Nakamura did not say when his resignation would be official.
The alleged gunman, Tetsuya Yamagami, was arrested at the scene and is currently under mental evaluation until late November.
Abe suffered two bullet wounds to his neck during the attack, and also suffered damage to his heart, doctors said.
He was said to be conscious and responsive in the minutes after the attack, but the 67-year-old’s condition deteriorated.
