Saddened & Shocked By Friend Abe’s Assassination, Says Manmohan Singh

New Delhi, July 8: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said he is “saddened and shocked” to learn of the “tragic assassination” of former Japan prime minister Shinzo Abe, and said “he was a good friend of mine”.

“I am deeply saddened and shocked to learn about the tragic assassination of Former Prime Minister His Excellency Shinzo Abe. He was a good friend of mine,” the former Indian PM said.

“During my tenure as Prime Minister, we worked to raise both our countries’ ties to the level of a global and strategic partnership. Our efforts elevated India-Japan relations to a qualitatively new level,” he said.

“I write to convey to you, members of his Excellency Shinzo Abe’s family and the people of Japan my heartfelt condolences on this sad occasion,” he said.

Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe was shot this morning while campaigning for a parliamentary election in the Nara region of Japan.