Investigation began into the gunman’s motives and security measures that were in place for the former leader, who was attacked while stumping for a fellow party member in Nara, near Osaka. Abe, one of the country’s most recognizable political figures, was a staple on the campaign trail ahead of elections to the upper house of parliament on Sunday.
After the assassination brought the campaign to a halt, candidates headed back on the road Saturday with enhanced security measures — there were limits on directly interacting with crowds — in what incumbent Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described as an act to prevent violence from altering the country’s democratic process….