A state of confusion gripped a military base in Japan on Wednesday after a soldier opened fire on his colleagues, killing one soldier and wounding two others.
【速報中】陸上自衛隊 岐阜の射撃場で何者かが自動小銃発射 負傷者情報も
NHKのヘリコプターが撮影した上空からの様子ですhttps://t.co/7GLF2Gci6s#nhk_video pic.twitter.com/BKmfbMhvxP
– NHKニュース (@nhk_news) June 14, 2023
According to NHK, the suspect, a member of the Self-Defense Forces, was arrested at a military training ground in central Gifu prefecture.
It was also revealed that he is young and only 18 years old.
Rare accidents
Shooting is extremely rare in Japan, where gun ownership is heavily regulated and anyone who wants to own a gun must go through a rigorous process.
But last July (2022), the country was rocked by the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe while he was speaking at a campaign rally in the western Nara region, where an armed man in the crowd missed him and shot him dead.
The perpetrator later confessed that he hated a certain organization and that he committed the crime because he believed Abe was connected to it!
While this crime caused a discussion in the country about the security and protection of politicians in general and prime ministers and ministers in particular.
