The appalling circumstances in which former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated draw harrowing parallels with the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in this region back in 2016.

Mr Abe, who was Japan’s longest-serving leader before stepping down for health reasons in 2020 and was still highly influential in the governing Liberal Democratic Party, was shot from behind minutes after he started a campaign speech, ahead of elections for Japan’s upper house tomorrow.

His death has chilling echoes to that of Ms Cox, MP for Batley and Spen, who was murdered while on her way to a constituency surgery a week before the UK’s Brexit referendum.

It is a painful reminder of the vulnerable position of political figures, many of whom face disgusting and unacceptable torrents of abuse, threats and intimidation.

Former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe has died after being shot. Photo: Carl Court/PA Wire

Only last week Ms Cox’s sister Kim Leadbeater, the sitting MP for Batley and Spen, wrote in this newspaper how she had been “deeply shocked” by the experiences of those in the public eye and was worried abuse would deter people from considering a career in public service.

Boris Johnson pays tribute to 'global leadership' of Shinzo Abe following death

After a tumultuous week in UK politics, now more than ever, we must reflect on Ms Cox’s powerful “more in common” message.

Never should politics end in such tragedy as we saw here in Yorkshire six years ago and as what has now sadly unfolded in Japan.

Our thoughts and condolences are with the Japanese people.

Never should politics end in tragedies we have seen with Shinzo Abe and Jo Cox - The Yorkshire Post says