Former Japan Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has been shot during a campaign speech in western Japan on Friday.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the attack occurred around 11:30 am.
Abe collapsed after being shot twice in the back while presenting a speech near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara City. He was taken to a local hospital attached to Nara Medical University via helicopter.
One man, believed to be the shooter, has been taken into custody.
Local media including national broadcaster NHK and the Kyodo news agency said the former prime minister appeared to be in “cardiorespiratory arrest”, a term often used in Japan before a feared death can be officially confirmed by a coroner.
Abe was the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history.
He served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020.
