Statement by the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan On the Occasion of the Death of Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

In response to the assassination of ex-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 8, Archbishop Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan, issued the following statement:

The news that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had been shot and killed was a sad shock. I pray for his eternal rest.

Attempting to achieve one's own will by committing violence against life is a challenge to God, the creator of life. For Christians who believe that God has given life, it is a gift that must be protected from its beginning to its end.

At a meeting with the Government of Japan and the diplomatic corps in Tokyo on November 25, 2019, Pope Francis stressed the inviolable dignity of all life and the importance of showing solidarity and support to our brothers and sisters in all hardships. Former Prime Minister Abe had made every effort to foster the Pope's visit to Japan, which conveyed the message "Protect all life." 

It is natural that when many people exercise freedom to better their lives there are differences in opinions, thinking, and ways of living. No one can suppress those differences by force, much less by violence. The motives for this particular crime will be clarified eventually. In any case, we must pray and act in the hope for a society dominated by God's mercy where mutual compassion and support will be realized, rather than a society dominated by violence.

Once again, I offer my heartfelt prayers for the eternal rest of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and pray that the Lord give comfort and peace to his family.

✠ Isao Kikuchi, Archbishop of Tokyo
President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan
July 11, 2022