Abe was instrumental in boosting India-Japan ties

Abe was probably the most recognisable Japanese politician in the last three decades, and so his death has shaken his contemporaries world over.

The news about the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is shocking indeed.

According to media reports, Shinzo Abe, aged 67, fell prey to an assassin's bullet while he was campaigning in the Nara Prefecture for elections to Japan's Upper House. Abe's speech was interrupted by two loud bangs- possibly from a shotgun - and smoke, with Abe stumbling to the ground after the second shot.

Abe's assassin is a 42-year-old man named Tetsuya Yamagami, from Nara. He is a former member of the maritime self-defence force. The weapon believed to have been used in the attack was home-made.

One hopes the Japanese intelligence will probe the whole tragic episode scientifically and objectively and bring the real culprits in the Abe assassination case to justice. Japan is said to have near-zero tolerance of gun ownership. It has had one of the lowest rates of gun violence in the world. This makes the fatal attack on Abe particularly intriguing .

In the death of Abe, Japan has lost a rare statesman . He happened to be Japan's longest-serving prime minister. There is a near consensus across the world strategic spectrum that Abe served Japan and the world with unparalleled commitment and distinction. He was a champion of the multilateral world order. He was a leader with great vision. This made him an extraordinary partner for his contemporary political leaderships in India, the United States, Australia and Taiwan.

Abe took the relationship between the United States and Japan "to new heights" during his time in office. So did he do in the case of Japan-India ties. Abe had also stuck a deep personal relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to boost further the already growing Japan-India ties.

No wonder, top leaders and politicians from around the world, including from India, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Australia, Indonesia and Taiwan, have expressed their profound grief over Abe's death. In a tweet, Prime Minister Modi said, "Deeply distressed by the attack on my dear friend Abe Shinzo. Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and the people of Japan."

Given Abe's historic efforts in promoting Japan-India ties, the Modi government has done well to declare one day of state mourning over his tragic demise.

It is surprising that no top leader from China, a close neighbour to Japan, has so far expressed grief over Abe's death. One hopes it is not because former Japanese prime minister Abe was perceived as a "China hawk". One hopes it is not because Abe played an instrumental role in the formation of the Quad group which Beijing perceives to be aimed at containing its aggressive designs in the region.

(Jagdish N. Singh is a senior journalist based in New Delhi. He is also Senior Distinguished Fellow at the Gatestone Institute, New York)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of OneIndia and OneIndia does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.