Tokyo: Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe reportedly collapsed after he was shot during a campaign event in the Nara region.
"Former prime minister Abe was shot at around 11:30 am in Nara. One man, believed to be the shooter, has been taken into custody. The condition of former prime minister Abe is currently unknown," chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told the media.
The former PM had been delivering a stump speech at an event ahead of the Upper House election on July 10 when the apparent sound of gunshots was heard.
The shocking incident unfolded when a man came from behind and shot Abe while he was addressing a campaign event.
He reportedly collapsed and was bleeding from the neck after a second shot was fired.
As per reports, a man who was believed to be in his 40s had been apprehended for an attempt to murder and a gun had been confiscated from him.
Soon after the attack, the former PM was immediately rushed to the hospital and he appeared to be in a cardo-respiratory arrest. The cardio-respiratory arrest is a term used in Japan indicating no vital signs, and generally preceding a formal certification of death by a coroner.
The US ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel, said he was "saddened and shocked" by the shooting.
"We are all saddened and shocked by the shooting of former prime minister Abe Shinzo. Abe-san has been an outstanding leader of Japan and an unwavering ally of the United States. The US Government and American people are praying for the well-being of Abe-san, his family, and the people of Japan," Emanuel said in a statement.
Notably, the 67-year-old Shinzo Abe was Japan's longest-serving prime minister. He held office in 2006 for one year and again from 2012 to 2020 when he was forced to step down due to the debilitating bowel condition ulcerative colitis.
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