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Harry Fletcher
Jul 08, 2022
Emergency services move former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe from ambulance to helicopter
NHK
The chancellor Nadhim Zahawi accidentally said that Shinzo Abe had died in a premature tweet on Friday morning.
Zahawi posted a message paying his respects to the former Japanese PM while he was in critical condition in hospital after a horrific incident, and before the news had actually been confirmed.
Japanese media has now reported that Abe has died from his wounds after being shot at close range while he was giving a speech in the west of his home country Japan on Friday.
While the post has now been deleted, Zahawi said before the news was confirmed: “Heart breaking news from Japan. PM Shinzo Abe has died after being shot by an attacker.
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“We enter politics to serve and try and make the world a better place, a good man has lost his life in pursuit of that noble aim. May he rest in eternal peace.”
A spokesperson at the Treasury told Reuters that the message had been a genuine mistake and was expressing his reaction to a horrific incident.
People criticised the Chancellor and the insensitivity of the tweet before the former PM had been declared dead.
\u201cHere's Nadine Zahawi making his pitch to be PM by showing his enormous grasp of world politics and tactful tweeting.\n\n1. Abe is not the Japanese PM\n2. Abe is still alive\u201d— Sawbo (@Sawbo) 1657265746
\u201cChancellor of the Exchequer and leadership contender Nadhim Zahawi has deleted a tweet in which he said the ex-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died.\n\nMr Abe\u2019s successor, Fumio Kishida, confirmed ex-PM is currently in a \u201ccritical condition\u201d.\u201d— Jack Walters (@Jack Walters) 1657263301
\u201cThe UK's Nadhim Zahawi sent his condolences on Friday to Japan in the mistaken belief that former prime minister Shinzo Abe had died after being shot by an attacker, although Mr Abe is still alive.\u00a0\n\nThe new Chancellor of the Exchequer later deleted the tweet.\n\n(The Telegraph)\u201d— Geeta Mohan \u06af\u06cc\u062a\u0627 \u0645\u0648\u06c1\u0646 \u0917\u0940\u0924\u093e \u092e\u094b\u0939\u0928 (@Geeta Mohan \u06af\u06cc\u062a\u0627 \u0645\u0648\u06c1\u0646 \u0917\u0940\u0924\u093e \u092e\u094b\u0939\u0928) 1657270015
\u201cZahawi tweeted earlier that former Japanese PM Abe had died after being shot. \n\nYou would think a senior secretary of state would have the political nouse to check with the Japanese embassy before tweeting, rather than going on hearsay and rumours. \n\nAnd he wants to be PM.\u201d— ListeningPolitician (@ListeningPolitician) 1657268225
Zahawi later posted the same message at 10.28am, after the news had been confirmed.
Abe received emergency treatment after being airlifted from the scene. He was pronounced dead later at the hospital.
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