Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died following an assassination attempt on him, according to official sources, NHK TV channel reports.
Abe spoke in the west of the country, in the city of Nara, with an election speech. An unidentified man opened fire with a homemade weapon. According to police, the ex-premier was shot twice in the back.
committed assassination attempt arrested at the crime scene. His identity has been established: 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami used to serve in the Marine Self-Defense Forces. Currently, the police are interrogating the detainee, his motives have not yet been reported.
A crisis headquarters was created in the government, and the head of the cabinet, Fumio Kishida, canceled all plans and returned to Tokyo.
Shinzo Abe, 67, has broken the record for the longest tenure at the head of the Japanese government. He first headed the cabinet in 2006 and became the youngest prime minister in the post-war history of the country.
During his second term in office (2012-2020), Abe pursued a policy of economic recovery and active diplomatic activity, but left his fellow citizens with a sense of incompleteness.
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