Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot at a campaign event.
Mr Abe was delivering a speech on Friday ahead of Sunday’s upper house elections in the city of Nara in western Japan when he was shot at twice, causing him to fall to the ground.
The 67-year-old appeared to be in a state of cardiac arrest as he was airlifted to hospital, having initially been conscious and responsive.
He was pronounced dead later at the hospital, Japanese public broadcaster NHK said.
Chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters the suspected attacker – who local media said was carrying a “handmade gun” – had been arrested.
Speaking before Mr Abe’s death, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said: “It is a barbaric act during election campaigning, which is the foundation of democracy, and it is absolutely unforgivable. I condemn this act in the strongest terms.”
Footage from national broadcaster NHK showed Mr Abe standing on a stage when a loud blast was heard with smoke visible in the air.
As spectators and reporters ducked, a man was seen being tackled to the ground by security.
Local media identified him as 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, citing police sources.
Several media outlets described him as a former member of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, the country’s navy.
He was wielding a weapon described by local media as a “handmade gun”, and broadcaster NHK said he told police after his arrest that he had “targeted Abe with the intention of killing him”.
NHK aired footage showing Mr Abe collapsed on the street, with several security guards running toward him.
“He was giving a speech and a man came from behind,” a woman at the scene told the broadcaster.
“The first shot sounded like a toy. He didn’t fall and there was a large bang.
The second shot was more visible, you could see the spark and smoke.
“After the second shot, people surrounded him and gave him cardiac massage.”
Mr Abe collapsed and was bleeding from the neck, a source from his ruling Liberal Democratic Party told Jiji news agency.
The younger brother of Mr Abe, Nobuo Kishi has told reporters that the former prime minister had received a blood transfusion in an attempt to save his life.
Credit: Nations Scoop