Japan Times notes…
The incident marks the first fatal shooting at an SDF facility in nearly 40 years.
The three victims are a 52-year-old man and two 25-year-old men. All three were transported from the range to a hospital following the shooting. The 52-year-old and one of the 25-year-olds later died.
The suspect said his target was the 52-year-old instructor, but that he first shot a 25-year-old SDF member next to him because he was obstructing his line of sight, investigators told NHK.
…
Earlier in the day, Gen. Yasunori Morishita, chief of staff of the GSDF, said in a news conference that the GSDF will set up an investigation committee to determine the cause and prevent a recurrence.“As an organization that uses weapons, this kind of incident should never have happened,” Morishita said. “In response … we have immediately suspended all (live) firing drills throughout the country.”
