Former Japan PM Abe dies after being shot at stump speech in Nara

The former Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe was shot dead on Friday while delivering a stump speech in Nara, two days before a national election. a ruling party source was quoted as saying by Kyodo News.

Japan’s longest-serving leader was attacked by a 41 year old man from behind at around 11:30 a.m. when he was speaking in front of Kintetsu Railway’s Yamato-Saidaiji Station, police said, adding he collapsed to the ground after two shots were heard. He was rushed to hospital with blood seen on his shirt.

Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo #Abe is #dead after being shot by a gunman during a stump speech for the weekend's House of Councillors election, a Liberal Democratic Party source says. https://t.co/Hf45qVLFRQ

— Kyodo News | Japan (@kyodo_english) July 8, 2022

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has condemned the shooting of the 67 year old former leader “in the strongest possible terms,” saying such a barbaric act should never be tolerated.