Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot while giving a speech in the western city of Nara, according to local media reports and videos posted to social media.
Japanese broadcaster NHK said Abe collapsed while giving a campaign speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate at around 11:30 a.m. local time, ahead of an upper house election this weekend. POLITICO could not verify videos posted to social media purporting to show the incident.
Ex-Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe said in a tweet that Abe had been shot with a “shotgun” and was in “cardiopulmonary arrest.”
The 67-year-old Abe was rushed to hospital but appears to show no vital signs, the local fire department told NHK. A reporter for the broadcaster said she heard what sounded like two gunshots and saw Abe bleeding.
According to NHK, a male suspect was detained at the scene.
Abe, a familiar figure on the global stage, was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister until he resigned in 2020.
This story is developing.
