Japan. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated

Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe was hospitalized after being beaten and bleeding while giving a speech in front of a train station in the western Japanese city of Nara, public broadcaster NHK said on Friday.

Abe was shot from behind, NHK said, citing police information. According to TBS, the bullet hit the former prime minister in the left side of his chest and neck. Initially, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported that the politician had fainted after the attack. NHK later cited information from police sources as saying that Abe was conscious while being taken to hospital.

The BBC said the first shot was a misfire and the second hit the former head of government from behind.

Reuters agency – citing information from local media – said that shortly before the former Japanese prime minister collapsed, two gunshots were heard. A 42-year-old suspect has been arrested.

Non-professional, home-made weapons were used in the attack, according to information provided by public Japanese broadcaster NHK.

Shinzo Abe is the son of former Japanese Foreign Minister Shintaro Abe and the grandson of Nobosuke Kishi, Prime Minister of Japan from 1957-1960. Graduated from Shigei University in Musashino with a degree in Political Science.

He was the Prime Minister of Japan from 2006–2007 and then from 2012–2020, during which time he also served as the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was the longest serving head of the Japanese government.

On 28 August 2020, he announced his resignation as Prime Minister due to health reasons. He was succeeded by Yoshihide Tsuka, who held the position for over a year.