Tokyo

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe succumbed to the gunshot wound he suffered on Friday morning.

Abe was shot in the chest while delivering a speech in Nara city. He was campaigning on the street for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate for the House of Councillors election scheduled for Sunday.

The attack took place around 11:30 am local time while Abe was addressing a roadside group of people.

The 67-year-old Abe was Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister. He stepped down in 2020 citing health reasons.

He was Prime Minister during 2006-07 and again from 2012-20. He was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga and later Fumio Kishida.

Earlier in his live address to the nation, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida had said, "this (shooting) is not a forgivable act".

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Japanese Police have arrested the 41-year-old Yamagami Tetsuya from the spot of the shooting. He is considered the prime suspect in the killing. He is a former Maritime Self Defense Force worker.