- Biden said he is "outraged" by the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
- "This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him," Biden said in a statement.
- Abe, 67, was fatally shot on Friday as he was delivering a speech at a campaign event in Japan.
President Joe Biden on Friday condemned the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, saying that he is "stunned, outraged, and deeply saddened" by the 67-year-old's death.
"This is a tragedy for Japan and for all who knew him," Biden said in a statement.
Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, was fatally shot on Friday as he was delivering a speech at a campaign event in the western Japanese city of Nara.
Authorities swiftly arrested a 41-year-old suspect at the scene.
Biden called Abe "a champion of the Alliance between our nations and the friendship between our people."
"Above all, he cared deeply about the Japanese people and dedicated his life to their service," the US president said.
Biden added, "Even at the moment he was attacked, he was engaged in the work of democracy."
"While there are many details that we do not yet know, we know that violent attacks are never acceptable and that gun violence always leaves a deep scar on the communities that are affected by it," said Biden.
He continued, "The United States stands with Japan in this moment of grief. I send my deepest condolences to his family."
Former President Barack Obama, under whom Biden served as vice president, said in a statement on Twitter that he is "shocked and saddened by the assassination of my friend and longtime partner Shinzo Abe in Japan."
Abe "was devoted to both the country he served and the extraordinary alliance between the United States and Japan," Obama said.
Japanese police have identified the shooting suspect as Yamagami Tetsuya.
Authorities said the suspect told police that he believed Abe was linked to a group that he had a hatred against, multiple news outlets reported.
