It’s always shocking news when a major leader on the international stage is shot to death. But it’s especially so in a country where gun violence is nearly non-existent. “Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated Friday on a street in western Japan by a gunman who opened fire on him from behind as he delivered a campaign speech — an attack that stunned the nation with some of the strictest gun control laws anywhere.” The shooter used a homemade gun. AP: Japan’s ex-leader Shinzo Abe assassinated during a speech. Abe was only 67.

+ Land of the Rising Gun? “When I say people don’t think about violent crime here, I’m not exaggerating. Yes, there are the Yakuza, Japan’s famously violent organised crime gangs. But most people never come in to contact with them. Even the Yakuza shy away from guns because the penalties for illegal possession are just not worth it. Owning a gun in Japan is extremely difficult. It requires no criminal record, mandatory training, psychological evaluation, and extensive background checks including police interviewing neighbors. Consequently, gun crime virtually doesn’t exist here. On average, there are fewer than 10 gun-related deaths in Japan each year. In 2017, there were just three.” BBC: Shinzo Abe death: Shock killing that could change Japan forever.