Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe has died after being shot this morning while campaigning for a parliamentary electionin the Nara region. A man opened fire on Abe, 67, from behind with an apparently homemade gun as he spoke at a drab traffic island in the western city of Nara, Japanese media showed earlier. The former leader had been delivering a stump speech at an event ahead of Sunday's upper house elections when the apparent sound of gunshots was heard.
Police said a 41-year-old man suspected of carrying out the shooting had been arrested. The shooter is a former member of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.
News agency NHK quoted the suspect, identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, as telling police he was dissatisfied with Abe and wanted to kill him.
