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Tributes Pour In After Former Japanese PM Shot And Killed; Shinsuke J. Sugiyama, Former Japanese Ambassador To The U.S., Discusses Assassination Of Shinzo Abe; 372,000 Jobs In June, Outpaces Expectations; One-On-One With FBI Director Christopher Wray. Aired 1:30-2p ET

Aired July 08, 2022 - 13:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[13:30:44]

ANA CABRERA, CNN HOST: Tributes from world leaders are pouring in hours after the shocking assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. His killing was captured on video.

Before we show you, I want to warn you it is disturbing.

Abe was shot in broad daylight as he was giving a campaign speech. Here is a portion of that video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHINZO ABE, FORMER JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(GUNFIRE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CABRERA: A 41-year-old suspect is now in custody and reportedly has confessed. Investigators raided his home and say they found several homemade pistol-like weapons, like the one that he was believed to have used to assassinate Abe.

CNN's Selina Wang, based in Tokyo, is joining us now.

Selina, give us the latest on the investigation.

SELINA WANG, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We have learned from the police that the suspect has admitted that he shot the former prime minister.

In terms of motive, all we know right now from police is that he holds a grudge against a specific organization. And believed former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to be a part of it. There are now 90 investigators working on this case.

Abe was shot at 11:30 a.m. local time. And he immediately collapsed, was bleeding. We have images of him right after he was shot.

Warning, this may be disturbing to some viewers.

You can see him surrounded by medical personnel. He was taken away by ambulance and then taken away by helicopter to the hospital. He died of excessive bleeding, according to medical examiners.

When he was pronounced dead at about 5:00 p.m. local time, that sent shockwaves around the world.

Shinzo Abe was a towering figure, not just in Japan, but on the global stage. He had so many connections with global leaders. He has cultivated personal ties with them. So many of the leaders had called him in a close, personal friend.

He famously even managed to cultivate stable ties with former U.S. President Donald Trump, playing golf with him, eating burgers with him, having regular phone calls.

He cultivated stronger security ties across the Asia-Pacific region as a bolstering against a growing and assertive China.

So his death, the loss of Abe, massive political ramifications in Japan. Even though he had stepped down, he still had a huge influence over politics and society there --Ana?

CABRERA: I has to wonder, because here in the U.S., former presidents have this heavy security detail. What's that like in Japan. How much protection did Shinzo Abe have?

WANG: Important context here, Japan is considered to be one of the safest countries in the world.

I've lived before in Beijing and I was always struck by how often I saw very young children walking in the streets on alone, unattended, and in taxis along because that is the environment that Japan is.

Which means that politician, they often travel with fairly light security. And now, this assassination however raises questions about whether that will be beefed up.

But gun violence, virtually nonexistent in Japan. In all of 2021, there was only one gun-related death. Guns are extremely difficult to get. It is a very long and complex process.

So is shaking the national psyche of Japan, in a country that is so safe and is considered so secure. But it is heartbreaking -- Ana?

CABRERA: We just showed that graphic that showed, in the last five years, no more than four gun-related deaths in each of those years.

Selina Wang, thank you for your reporting.

Let's discuss that now with, former Japanese ambassador to the U.S., Shinsuke J. Sugiyama.

Thank you for being here.

First, I wanted to express condolences for your loss.

Abe was depends longest-serving prime minister. What kind of losses this for the country?

SHINSUKE J. SUGIYAMA, FORMER JAPANESE AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: First of all, I think, I myself, but also all of Japan, must feel that this is totally, totally shocking incident that everybody is very much saddened by this great loss.

And then, as the previous person had been saying, Japan is supposed to be one of the safest places in terms of gun violence.

[13:35:04]

But nonetheless, he was shot and killed by gunshot. People are totally shocked and we are feeling a great loss.

CABRERA: Yes, it is a country with so little gun violence. You think something like this -- did you think it was possible? Is this something the prime minister even ever considered or worried about?

SUGIYAMA: Basically, I think the gun control system seems to be totally different situation from the U.S. and Japan and yet, this happened. So, we have to think about this.

CABRERA: So many world leaders have highlighted what a friend he was to democracy. How did Shinzo Abe transform Japan during his time in office?

SUGIYAMA: You see, he is said to be the longest-serving by ministers in 1868 or something, since Japan modernization. And I have been very much, hard working for him over the past some years or so.

I know him. He is very friendly and very knowledgeable, pretty much, you know, understanding every domestic policy, international politicsThe one thing, which is very symbolic is what we call now free and open in the Pacific region. The idea, this was his own idea since 2006, or so.

It has become widely shared by U.S., India, Australia, everybody. And so then this is that Mackey created, you know, the conference and to be followed by the current prime minister.

And so, I think that he was always forthcoming and proactive. Not necessarily like the previous Japanese leaders.

Tonight, that is also interesting. and you touch on this, Selina touched on this, his ability to work closely with world leaders who could be vastly different than some, the relation yet with both Obama and Trump, that is certainly no easy task. It is a skill.

CABRERA: You are right. He does have a certain skill.

But he is very much straightforward. And then, in that sense, he is not like what typical Japanese prime minister's used to be. He opened up in the weight for the international commitment. Ambassador, thank you so much for taking your time to share your

memories and your understanding of what he leaves behind. In terms of his legacy.

Thank you so much.

SUGIYAMA: Thanks. Thank you.

[13:38:40]

CABRERA: A red-hot jobs report despite recession fears. How does this play into the Feds fight against inflation? It's complicated.

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[13:43:37]

CABRERA: The red-hot jobs market may be using fears that the recession is coming eminently, but it is also making things more complicated for the Federal Reserve to ease inflation.

Companies added 372,000 jobs in June. The unemployment rate held steady at 3.6 percent.

Business correspondence, Rahel Solomon, is joining us.

And, Rahel, obviously, the Federal Reserve is weighing the jobs report as it considers the next move. Do you think that the strong report is going to apply more pressure to raise interest rates further?

RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: In a word, yes. This was a very strong jobs report with an asterisk. And 372,000 jobs being added. That is about 100,000 more than what they expected.

We have seen month after month, and it has eased a bit. But the issue, and the asterisk, that is the demand from everybody, two jobs for every one person working, now it is closer to 1.9.

That precent is a challenge for the Fed because demand for workers is so hot, workers can demand more in terms of wages, which is great for workers.

The problem is, when the costs go up, they tend to pass that down in terms of prices. This idea sort of becomes a vicious cycle.

Also, by the way, if you are making more inflation is more than you are making, you are making more, but you are affording less, this is a vicious cycle.

[13:45:08]

The Fed knows this and that is why they have made it very clear that they're trying to get ahead of inflation and trying to tame and thanked inflation.

The silver lining, the one thing that can add some credence to the idea that the economy is strong enough to withstand these interest rates, a jobs report like this.

This is why Powell has said, we think that the economy can withstand and weather through the interest rate hikes. It is really strong labor market

#: Although, there are a lot of economists out there that aren't so sure. Former chief economist for the IMF said it is almost, quote, "almost impossible for the Fed to tap down the inflation without tipping the economy into a recession."

This a balancing act?

SOLOMON: As you also said that have to be lucky that we have had Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen say that there have to be skilled. .

And he has made great friends with American leaders and other leaders. And so he is one of the most important appointees. He is always proactive and forthcoming.

If you think about too many dollars chasing you too billets, you can understand what is happening on the part of it is supply chain issues. And that is sort of still being felt in the economy.

What the Fed can do is control the demand side of inflation, meetings more expensive in terms of rates.

The idea that the Fed can control inflation just by controlling the demand side, or just tamping down demand so much, that it lowers inflation, that is why some are saying that it is impossible, some might say, wishful thinking.

The Fed, Powell himself, they say it is looking increasingly difficult, but they do think they can do it. The most recent comment, but, the recession is not our intended outcome but it is certainly a possibility.

CABRERA: The sad thing is, the higher the Fed hikes interest rates, the more everybody thing when it comes to garlands, credit card rates, mortgages, and that is on top of the higher prices that everybody is already paying for good. Whether it is groceries, gas, or necessities.

SOLOMON: That is a really great point. As we weather the storm, right? There are some who will be able to weather a lot better than others.

For folks who are middle income, higher income, inflation is inconvenient, right? But you are not necessarily suffering.

There are real concerns out there that for folks who are already on the lower end of the spectrum.

If you are getting hit on one side with higher prices, and on the other side with higher rates, you will start to feel a squeeze. That is what many folks are concerned about and it is a very real concern.

CABRERA: Rahel Solomon, thank you for weathering the storm with us. Information is power. Good to have you here..

Up next, the head of the FBI sitting down with CNN and what he is hearing about the January 6th hearings.

And the same day, Trump's former attorney is meeting with the committee behind closed doors.

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[13:52:14]

CABRERA: Right now former Trump White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, is testifying behind closed doors. The latest high-profile witness to sit down with the January 6th committee.

CNN's Evan Perez interviewed FBI Director Christopher Wray.

And, Even, you asked him about this investigation. What did he say?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: This was a wide-ranging interview. He's here in London visiting MI5, talking about the threat from China.

We also discussed the threat from violent extremism, and of course the ongoing investigation into January 6th.

He says that the FBI is going to follow the facts and the investigation, allow it to go, no matter where it goes.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PEREZ: The question that has risen from the recent hearings makes it clear that the former president was very involved in at least trying to help make sure that the election results were overturned.

What's your thinking about the FBI's process of looking at everyone who may have had a role in what happened on January 6th?

CHRISTOPHER WRAY, FBI DIRECTOR: January 6th was a reflection of a broader phenomenon that we see in our country today, which is that there are way, way too many people who are willing to take their ideological, social or political grievances, perhaps very earnestly felt, and manifest them through violence.

And in our system, there's a right way and a wrong way to express when you're angry or upset about something.

And it doesn't matter whether you're upset about an election, upset about a trial, upset about the criminal justice system, upset about any issue. In the case of January 6th, those things, plus interference with a

sacred part of our constitutional process, then we're going to have to act. That's the rule of law. That's what the rule of law is all about.

PEREZ: Does that mean anybody who was involved at all levels?

WRAY: So we're going to follow the facts, wherever they lead, no matter who likes it. We're going to follow the law. I'm not going to comment on any specific individual who may or may not be under investigation.

We're going to let the facts speak for themselves as the investigations develop, and if there are charges against individuals, the public will see that through the charges that the Justice Department makes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PEREZ: One of the things we also discussed today was obviously the investigation into the Highland Park shooting. He says that the FBI is assisting the local officials. And if they find reason to bring federal charges, they will do that.

Obviously, there's a lot of concern in that community. There's a lot we don't know about why this attacker carried out this shooting. And of course, a lot of concern in the Jewish community there about exactly what the motivation was.

[13:55:09]

Again, so much we don't know. And we'll see where this investigation goes -- Ana?

#: The Highland Park shooting, no motive given just yet.

Thank you, Evan Perez, for sharing that interview with us.

That does it for me today. I appreciate you joining us. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I'll see you back here on Monday. Until then, you can always join me on Twitter, @AnaCabrera.

The news continues with Alisyn right after this.

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