Abe had honeymoon periods as prime minister and then inevitable troughs but no one would have predicted a direct threat to his life.

Kishida,his successor said the attack in the middle of an election campaign was a direct threat to democracy. “It is barbaric,malicious and cannot be tolerated,” he said.

Abe’s campaign stop was out the front of a busy train station in Nara,near Kyoto in central Honshu. There was minimal security between him and the barricades. Onlookers could come and go as they pleased while he spoke as if he was on a soap box.

When the white smoke billowed out from Yamagami’s first bullet few onlookers appeared to realise a shooting had just begun. His second shot made sure there was no mistake. Abe was left unconscious on the floor,bleeding from the chest.