Two soldiers killed, one wounded in shooting at Japanese shooting range

June 14 (United Press International) — Two Japanese soldiers were shot dead by a recruit and wounded another at a training ground in central Gifu prefecture on Wednesday, the Japanese military said.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force said in a statement that the shooting happened around 9 a.m. at the Hino shooting range in Gifu prefecture. preliminary report.

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“During a live-fire exercise in recruit training, an SDF candidate opened fire on three personnel,” the Ground Self-Defense Force said, later confirming that two of the victims were killed.

The 18-year-old shooter used an automatic rifle, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK. Police said he was arrested at the scene and later admitted to the shooting,

The two soldiers killed were aged 25 and 52, while the third SDF member shot dead was 25, according to police.

General Yasunori Morishita, Chief of Staff of the Ground Self-Defense Force, said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon that a committee would be formed to investigate the shooting.

“This kind of incident should not happen in an organization that handles weapons,” he said. “As chief of staff of the Ground Self-Defense Force, I take this matter very seriously.”

Shootings in Japan are extremely rare because the country has some of the strictest gun laws in the world.Since then, however, some high-profile violent crimes have unnerved the public assassinate ex PM Shinzo Abe Last July.

In April, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida escaped death after a man was injured threw a smoke bomb During a campaign in western Japan. The incident, which came shortly before the country hosts a summit of Group of Seven leaders in Hiroshima, reignited calls for heightened public safety measures.

Four people, including two police officers, were killed in an attack last month shooting and stabbing Rampage in Nagano.