Former Japan PM Abe shot, feared dead

 Former Japanese PM Abe is shot and believed dead.

Shinzo Abe

Shinzo Abe, the nation's longest-serving leader, was shot on Friday at a campaign event, according to a government official, despite local media reports to the contrary.

According to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, the former prime minister Abe was shot in the western city of Nara at around 11:30 a.m.

"One individual has been arrested and is thought to be the shooter. Currently, it is uncertain how former Prime Minister Abe is doing.

Whatever the motivation, Matsuno continued, "Such a terrible conduct can never be accepted, and we strongly condemn it.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida later revealed that Abe was in a life-threatening condition on Friday after being shot at a campaign rally and denounced the "totally terrible" act.

After flying into Tokyo from the campaign route, Kishida told reporters, "Abe was shot in Nara and I have been informed he is in an extremely critical condition.

The obviously moved leader prayed for former prime minister Abe's survival.

It is an incredibly abhorrent conduct to commit such a heinous atrocity during an election campaign, which is the cornerstone of democracy. I vehemently abhor this behavior.

Abe seemed to be in "cardiorespiratory arrest," which is a term frequently used in Japan before a suspected death can be formally confirmed by a coroner, according to local media, including the national broadcaster NHK and the Kyodo news agency.

Despite Japan's notoriously low rates of violent crime and strict gun prohibitions, a politician who may be the most well-known politician in the nation was attacked while campaigning for Sunday's upper house elections.

Security was present while Abe, 67, gave a stump speech, but viewers were able to get close to him without much difficulty.

The NHK broadcast showed him standing on the stage when a loud blast was heard with smoke visible in the air.

An image of a man being tackled to the ground by security was displayed as spectators and journalists dove for cover.

According to police sources, local media identified the guy as Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, and some media outlets described him as a former member of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, the nation's navy.

As the political event descended into mayhem, witnesses on the scene expressed their disbelief.

A young woman told NHK, "He was giving a speech and a man appeared from behind."

"The first shot made a toy bazooka-like noise. Despite the loud bang, he didn't collapse. The flare and smoke from the second shot were more noticeable, she said.

People encircled him and massaged his heart after the second shot.

Witnesses claimed Abe was bleeding from the neck, and photos clearly demonstrated this. He apparently started out responsive before going unconscious.

There had been no threats prior to the event, according to representatives of the local Abe's Liberal Democratic Party chapter, and his address had been well publicized.

The attack shocked the entire world.

At a G20 summit in Bali, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters, "This is a very, very terrible time." He said that the US was "very grieved and deeply concerned."

The news of Abe's shooting left Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi "very saddened," while Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha described himself as "extremely horrified."