Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was taken to the hospital after being shot in the chest while giving an election speech along the highway in Nara, according to reports in the country.
The incident took place while he was campaigning in Nara, western Japan, and the suspect has now been arrested.
The Japan Times reported that Abe was shot in the chest after being attacked from behind. He was taken to the hospital bleeding after the fall.
Japan News reports that the former prime minister was unconscious and appeared to be in cardio-respiratory failure when he was hospitalized.
Abe was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, stepping down in 2020 due to ill health after eight years in office.
At the time, he said he did not want his illness to get in the way of decision-making and apologized to the Japanese people for failing to complete his term of office.
In 2007, he also abruptly resigned as prime minister due to a chronic condition ulcerative colitis he had been living with since his teenage years.
NHK is broadcasting the moment that Japanese Former PM Shinzo Abe was shot from behind. Video does not show the shooter, just the puff of smoke. pic.twitter.com/4CNW1JTmvn
— Global: MilitaryInfo (@Global_Mil_Info) July 8, 2022
🚨🇯🇵 Shinzo Abe shot in the chest in Nara City. Suspect in custody.
🚨🇯🇵 NHK: Japanese Police arrested the suspect involved in assassination attempt of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
🚨🇯🇵 According to ruling LDP members former Prime Minister Abe is unconscious. pic.twitter.com/zaoj03F2Q6
— morpheus💊🍊 (@morpheus7701) July 8, 2022
WATCH: Bystanders rush to help former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after he is shotpic.twitter.com/vgk7fn323p
— BNO News (@BNONews) July 8, 2022
