Politics

Nadhim Zahawi deletes premature tweet about Shinzo Abe's death

Nadhim Zahawi deletes premature tweet about Shinzo Abe's death
Emergency services move former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe from ambulance to helicopter
NHK

The chancellor Nadhim Zahawi accidentally said that Shinzo Abe had died in a premature tweet on Friday morning.

Zahawi posted a message paying his respects to the former Japanese PM while he was in critical condition in hospital after a horrific incident, and before the news had actually been confirmed.

Japanese media has now reported that Abe has died from his wounds after being shot at close range while he was giving a speech in the west of his home country Japan on Friday.

While the post has now been deleted, Zahawi said before the news was confirmed: “Heart breaking news from Japan. PM Shinzo Abe has died after being shot by an attacker.

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“We enter politics to serve and try and make the world a better place, a good man has lost his life in pursuit of that noble aim. May he rest in eternal peace.”

A spokesperson at the Treasury told Reuters that the message had been a genuine mistake and was expressing his reaction to a horrific incident.

People criticised the Chancellor and the insensitivity of the tweet before the former PM had been declared dead.

Zahawi later posted the same message at 10.28am, after the news had been confirmed.

Abe received emergency treatment after being airlifted from the scene. He was pronounced dead later at the hospital.

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