Japan's ex-PM Shinzo Abe dies after being shot while campaigning
Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died on Friday after he was shot while addressing an election rally in the city of Nara, according to state media.

"Officials say former Japanese Prime Minister #Abe Shinzo has been confirmed #dead. He was reportedly #shot during a speech on Friday in the city of #Nara, near Kyoto," official broadcaster NHK tweeted.

According to NHK, the attack took place at around 11.30am (local time) near the Yamatosaidaiji Station in Nara city while the 67-year-old former leader was making a speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate's election campaign.

The police said that Mr Abe was shot twice, with the second shot hitting him in the back, causing him to fall to the ground.
 
According to state broadcaster NHK, the incident took place at around 11. 30 a.m. (local time) near the Yamatosaidaiji Station in Nara city while the 67-year-old former leader was making a speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate's election campaign.
 
The local fire department says that Mr Abe was in cardiopulmonary arrest and scheduled to be transferred by medevac to Nara Medical University Hospital in Kashihara City in the prefecture.
 
According to the BBC, the term cardiopulmonary arrest is often used before a death is officially confirmed in Japan.
 
The NHK report further said that a gunshot was heard on-site and Mr Abe was seen bleeding.
 
Meanwhile, the police have said that Mr Abe appeared to have been shot from behind with a shotgun, the state broadcaster reported.
 
The male suspect, who appears to be in his 40s, has been arrested for allegedly attempting homicide and the police are interrogating him.
 
The police have said they seized a gun at the site which the man was apparently holding.
 
Mr Abe had stepped down as Prime Minister in 2020 citing health reasons.
 
He later revealed that he had suffered a relapse of ulcerative colitis, an intestinal disease, the BBC reported.
 
He was succeeded by his close party ally Yoshihide Suga, who was later replaced by Fumio Kishida.
 
Incidents of gun violence are rare in Japan, where handguns are banned.
 
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