Japan’s history of political assassinations

The shocking assassination a week ago of former Prime Minister Shinzo has rattled Japan, where such acts of political violence are now extremely rare — but were once common.

In 1932, the head of government was killed by army cadets in an attempted coup. In 1960, Abe's own grandfather, also then-PM, survived a knife attack. Japan's last high-profile assassination occurred that same year, when a socialist politician was stabbed to death on national television.

We don't know yet how Abe's death will impact Japanese politics moving forward, but his party swept the vote in an election held three days later. An outpouring of sympathy for the former PM probably made all the difference.

The resounding victory might help the ruling achieve some of Abe's unfulfilled dreams when he was in office.

Watch the GZERO World episode: Assassinated! Japan’s grief & how Shinzo Abe’s goals will shape Asia