Former Japan Prime Minister Abe dies after being shot at stump speech in Nara

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TOKYO:Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe died Friday after being shot while delivering a stump speech in the western city of Nara two days ahead of a national election., local media reported.

According to Tokyo-based Kyodo News, Abe was delivering a speech at a political event on a street in the western city of Nara when he was "shot from behind by an unknown person."

Abe was shot from behind and collapsed to the ground after two shots were heard.

The 67-year-old, who was also the longtime leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, was rushed to hospital with blood seen on his shirt. Who later lost breath in the hospital.

Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of the western city, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, according to the agency.

The suspect was formerly a member of the Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, after returning to his office in Tokyo by helicopter from Yamagata Prefecture where he was campaigning, condemned the shooting of the 67-year-old former leader "in the strongest possible terms," saying such a barbaric act should never be tolerated.

The assailant's motive is not fully known, he said.