Japan: Police chief to resign over failure to protect Abe

Tokyo, Aug 25: The chief of Japan's National Police Agency said Thursday he will resign to take responsibility over the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July.

"In the process of verifying our new security plan, we have come to realize that our security duties would need a fresh start. To mark our fresh start with a new security plan, it is only natural for us to build a new organization," Itaru Nakamura said at a news conference.

Nakamura had previously stated regret over the failure of police in protecting Abe during his appearance at a campaign rally, where he was fatally shot. He also admitted there were faults in the protection plan.

Security experts told Reuters bodyguards could have saved Abe by shielding him or pulled him from the line of fire in the 2.5 seconds between a missed first shot and the second fatal shot.

Abe's suspected killer is believed to have targeted him because he thought the former leader was linked to the Unification Church.

Source: DW