Ex-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: He met twice with then-President Trump at Mar-a-Lago

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who appeared to form a bond with former President Donald Trump over their conservative values and love of golf, was assassinated Friday during a roadside speech in the city of Nara, not far from Osaka in southern Japan.

"He was a true friend of mine and, much more importantly, America," Trump said in a post on his TruthSocial social media platform Friday.

Abe had visited, and golfed, with Trump during the Japanese leader's two trips to Mar-a-Lago. Trump's private residence and oceanfront club was referred to as the Southern White House during his term as president, from 2017-2021.

Trump made multiple trips there during his presidency amid Palm Beach's social season, which runs from Thanksgiving through Easter. As president, Trump often hosted world leaders, heads of state and celebrities.

More: Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago: Strikes, tweets and major decisions are made, away from public scrutiny

More: Trump in Palm Beach: From president to resident

First lady Melania Trump also played host to Abe's wife, Akie Abe, during their visits, spending time at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens west of Delray Beach and touring the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach.

During one of Abe's visits, in a scene that seemed to magnify the somewhat unusual mixture of politics and pleasure at Mar-a-Lago, the two leaders consulted with their national security aides, cellphones in hand, after an unexpected North Korean missile test launch. The high-level global security huddle took place around a Mar-a-Lago patio table in plain view of club members and guests.

Abe served 2 terms as prime minister; his second lasting a record 8 years

Abe, 67, arguably was Japan's most important political figure of the early 21st century.

He served two terms as prime minister as a member of the rightist Liberal Democratic Party. His second stint, from 2012-2020, lasted a record eight years, and restored stability to the Asian nation's top echelon of political governance.

In the past two years, Abe had remained politically active as the leader of the largest faction of the ruling LDP. He was an outspoken proponent for Japanese national security policies and had angered China by calling for a united commitment among the region's allies to defend Taiwan.

His family has a significant political pedigree. His grandfather and great-uncle served as prime minister. And Abe's father was a former secretary general of the LDP.

After being shot, Abe collapsed bleeding and was airlifted to a nearby hospital in Nara, although he was not breathing and his heart had stopped. He was later pronounced dead after receiving massive blood transfusions, officials said.

Nara Medical University emergency department chief Hidetada Fukushima said Abe suffered major damage to his heart, along with two neck wounds that damaged an artery. He never regained his vital signs, Fukushima said.

Trump and Abe played golf together at Trump's courses in Palm Beach County

During Abe's first trip to Mar-a-Lago, he arrived at Palm Beach International Airport aboard Air Force One with the president and their spouses in February 2017. Trump had been in office barely a month, and it was just the second of the former president's 30-plus trips to Mar-a-Lago during his administration.

The visit was particularly memorable because of that scene on the Mar-a-Lago patio.

Trump, who, during his presidency, preferred to dine with club members and guests on the terrace rather than in private, drew criticism after he, Abe and a slew of aides and advisers squeezed around the cell phone, reading details of the North Korean missile test at their table on the crowded terrace. Diners looked on, snapping photos and posting them on social media.

The two leaders condemned the missile test, with Abe calling it "absolutely intolerable" and Trump adding that "I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100%."

Abe, like Trump, was an avid golfer.

During that visit, the pair played the greens at Trump's two Palm Beach County golf courses. They first took a motorcade to Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, where they were joined by two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els. They later played at Trump International Golf Club in suburban West Palm Beach.

Melania Trump hosted Abe's spouse, Akie Abe, for a walk around the grounds at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens west of Delray Beach, where they also had lunch.

Second Abe visit preceded the Trump, Kim Jong Un summit

Abe's second visit to Mar-a-Lago took place a year later during Trump's 17th visit to his Palm Beach club as president.

During that two-day stay in mid-April 2018, Trump and Abe restated their "maximum pressure" campaign on North Korea. But the meeting between the two leaders came ahead of a thaw in tensions as Trump was readying for an unprecedented meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The two also did get to play a round of golf at nearby Trump International Golf Club.

Melania Trump and Akie Abe toured Flagler Museum in Palm Beach during that visit.

Trump calls Abe assassination "absolutely devastating news"

Trump issued a pair of statements on TruthSocial on Friday.

He first said reports of Abe being wounded in a shooting was "absolutely devastating news." After confirmation that Abe had died, Trump posted a second statement saying he hoped the assassin would "be dealt with swiftly and harshly."

He said of Abe: "Few people know what a great man and leader Shinzo Abe was, but history will teach them and be kind."

Trump's daughter, Ivanka, tweeted condolences to Abe's family and the Japanese people.

"Saddened by the death of Former PM Shinzo Abe, a truly historic figure & leader of lasting consequence," the posting read. "Abe’s advice, wisdom & warmth had a profound impact on me during my government service. My heart is with his family & the Japanese people as the world mourns his passing."

In Florida, shock and sorrow from both parties over Abe killing

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he was "shocked and saddened" by Abe's assassination.

"We send our condolences to Shinzo’s family and the nation of Japan," DeSantis said in a tweet. "He was a great man, a great leader, and a great ally to the United States."

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott called Abe's assassination "senseless" in a statement.

"Prime Minister Abe was an unapologetic believer in the power of democracy and one of the strongest voices in support of freedom across the Indo-Pacific," Scott said.

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, whose congressional district includes Mar-a-Lago, said Abe's shooting is a stark reminder of the "tragedy of gun violence."

"I had the privilege of meeting with Shinzo Abe when he was Prime Minister," Frankel said in a statement. "He was a powerful figure in Japan and a friend of our country. His assassination is sad and shocking and yet another reminder of the tragedy of gun violence."

Japan has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world

The attack on Abe stunned Japan, a nation with some of the strictest gun control laws anywhere. Police said the gun used, about 15 inches long, was homemade.

Police arrested Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, a former member of Japan’s navy, on suspicion of murder. Police said they confiscated similar weapons to the gun used and his personal computer when they raided his nearby one-room apartment.

Police said Yamagami was responding calmly to questions and had admitted to shooting Abe, telling investigators he had plotted to kill him because he believed rumors about the former leader’s connection to a certain organization that police did not identify.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Former Japanese prime minister made two visits to Trump, Mar-a-Lago