New Delhi: Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe passed away Friday morning after he was shot at during an election campaign earlier in the day, news agency AFP reported. Abe had collapsed while delivering a speech in the western Japanese city of Nara. After the attack, Abe was showing "no vital signs" AFP had reported earlier. Quoting fire officials, an AP report had also said in the morning that Abe was "not breathing", and his "heart stopped" while he was being airlifted to hospital.
Following the reports of attack on Abe, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and cabinet ministers returned back to Tokyo, the AP report quoted government's spokesperson as saying.
According to the Japan Times, the 67-years old politician was shot by a man from behind when the former was making a stump speech in Nara on Friday morning at 11:30 am after which the unidentified assailant was taken into custody by the Police. Japan's public broadcaster NHK news said that its reporter on the scene heard two consecutive bangs during the speech and saw Abe bleeding.
A 41-year old man, Tetsuya Yamagami has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder for shooting at Abe, reported Japanese media house NHK quoting police sources.
Shinzo Abe has been the longest serving Prime Minister of Japan who stepped down from the post in 2020 citing health reasons. He first took the office in 2006 becoming Japan's youngest prime minister since World War II. A year later he stepped down citing plagued by political scandals, voter outrage at lost pension records, and an election drubbing for his ruling party.
Abe again became the PM in year 2012.
Hailing from a wealthy political family, he was elected to Parliament in 1993 after his father's demise. Abe had rose to fame for adopting strong stance against North Korea after Japanese citizens were kidnapped by Pyongyang.
The former Japanese premier was conferred with India's second highest civilian honour — Padma Vibhushan — for his exceptional and distinguished service in public affairs