When Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe And His Wife Were Scrutinised For Being Childless

The former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe was allegedly shot dead while campaigning. The longest-serving Prime Minister of Japan was in critical condition and undergoing treatment after being shot in Nara, Japan. His death happened in the hospital, as per reports.

The current Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida condemned the attack on Shinzo Abe and said that the doctors were working to save his life. Since the wound on Abe was on his left clavicle and side of the neck, the doctors reportedly could not save him. Reportedly the former PM reached hospital with a cardiac arrest.

The broadcaster NHK reported that the police arrested a man in his 40s on suspicion of attempted murder.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the former prime minister suffered a gunshot wound to the right side of his neck.

Reportedly, Akie Abe, the wife of Shinzo Abe arrived at Nara Medical University, where her husband is being treated for his injuries.

Akie Abe And Shinzo Abe Children

The radio DJ Akie Abe has been married to Shinzo Abe since 1987 and the couple has no children. Even though the former prime minister encouraged the nation to combat the plummeting birth rate by having more children, he and his wife remained childless.

In an interview with the monthly magazine Bungei Shunju, Abe spoke about how she was under pressure to have children as the wife of a politician. She said that “Of course, as the wife of a politician, I was under enormous pressure, including from his constituency”.

In the early stages, she underwent fertility treatment but it was unsuccessful. As years passed, it became difficult for her to become pregnant due to her age and people stopped telling her to keep trying for kids.

Abe added that her husband suggested that they adopt a child, but Abe refused as she was not confident about “bringing up an adoptee properly”. Adopting a non-relative in Japan is rare and usually, adoption occurs within an extended family.

Abe then said that she has accepted that the couple will not have children. She said, “I think it is all fate and I have to accept it – the fact that I married a politician, that he became prime minister and that we were not blessed with children”.

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