The suspect in the assassination of Shinzo Abe used a handmade gun to kill Japan's former PM, police say
Officers said they found several handmade weapons at the home of the suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, 41
Abe, 67, was shot at twice from behind while giving a campaign speech in southern Japan, suffering wounds to his neck and chest
He was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead about five hours later at 5pm local time
Japan's current prime minister, Fumio Kishida, says he is "lost for words", describing Abe as a "personal friend"
Abe - in office in 2006-07 and 2012-20 - remains the country's longest-serving PM and best-known political figure internationally
Global leaders are reacting with shock; PM Boris Johnson says the UK stands with the Japanese people at a "sad and dark time"
The doctor at the press conference says medics spent four and a half hours treating Abe.
They tried to stop the bleeding and carried out a blood transfusion, using more than 100 units of blood, he says.
He confirms there were two wounds, believed to be bullet wounds, but he said doctors could not find bullets during surgery.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just put out a short statement, paying tribute to Shinzo Abe and saying that the UK stands with the Japanese people at a "dark and sad time".
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A press conference has begun at Nara Medical University Hopsital, where former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe was pronounced dead after being shot while giving a campaign speech.
A doctor says Abe died at 17:03 local time (09:03 BST).
He sustained wounds around the right side of the neck, the doctor continues, adding the wound was deep enough to reach his heart.
The doctor adds that no bullet was found.
Mariko Oi
Asia correspondent
Image source, ReutersShinzo Abe was Japan's longest serving prime minister and stepped down in 2020 after a second term.
But, he still had a huge influence over the current administration - for example when Russia invaded Ukraine, Abe came out and said Japan need to increase military spending.
It came as a huge shock when we first heard the news that he had been shot at around 11:30 local time this morning in the city of Nara.
Japan has a parliamentary election coming up this Sunday and that is why he was out on the streets giving a speech supporting one of the candidates in the city.
Apparently that visit was only confirmed late last night so how the suspect managed to find out about this and prepare remains an open question.
This kind of violence is extremely rare in Japan.
Image source, Getty ImagesFormer Japanese leader Shinzo Abe, one of Japan's most influential politicians in modern times, has died after being shot at a campaign event, prompting shock and condemnation both in Japan and overseas.
A conservative nationalist by most descriptions, the 67-year-old remains the country's longest serving prime minister, having led the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to victory twice.
His first stint as PM was brief - for a little over a year starting in 2006 - and marred by scandal. But he made a political comeback in 2012, and stayed in power until 2020 when he resigned for health reasons.
Abe stepped down then after weeks of speculation, revealing that he had suffered a relapse of ulcerative colitis - the intestinal disease had led to his resignation in 2007.
But as the son of former foreign minister Shintaro Abe, and grandson of former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, Abe belonged to political royalty and was still considered a powerful figure in Japanese politics.
He was known for his hawkish foreign policy and a signature economic strategy that popularly came to be known as "Abenomics".
Read more on Abe's legacy here.
Yuko Kato
BBC News, Tokyo
This was the news people here in Japan had been dreading for six hours.
"This is the worst possible outcome" is the sentiment everywhere now.
Throughout the day, many had been tweeting, "no violence, vote".
Whatever one had thought of Abe, Japan is now united in sorrow, anger and shock.
Shinzo Abe died in the hospital where he was receiving medical treatment, near to the attack in Nara, a senior Liberal Democratic Party official has said, public broadcaster NHK reports.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has died, according to Japan's national broadcaster.
Abe, 67, who remains Japan's longest serving prime minister, was shot while giving a campaign speech.
The suspected attacker - reported to be a man in his 40s - was tackled at the scene and arrested.
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sustained wounds on the right side of his neck and left clavicle after being shot, Nara city Fire Department has confirmed.
Officials earlier said Abe was shot in the neck in chest, causing significant internal bleeding, and he is now receiving a blood transfusion in attempts to save his life, his brother said.
Abe was shot at a political campaign event in western Japan earlier while giving a speech, and has been described as being in "grave condition".
Security officials at the scene tackled the gunman, and the 41-year-old suspect is now in police custody.
Image source, NHKAbe speaks to voters outside Yamato-Saidaiji Station moments before he was shot
The attack on Shinzo Abe, the man who remains Japan's longest-serving prime minister, has shocked the country.
Here's what we know about how it unfolded:
Image source, ReutersAn unidentified weapon was seen on the ground
Image source, Getty ImagesMoments ago we reported that Chinese government officials expressed shock at Abe's shooting and have said they hope he recovers soon.
But on social media Chinese nationalists have been expressing joy at the shooting.
BBC analysis showed many of the top liked comments on Weibo, one of China's biggest social media platforms, gloated at the former PM's shooting, while the state-backed broadcaster CCTV's TikTok account videos also posted mocking videos.
Abe is an unpopular figure in China due to his attempts to forge close relations with the US, his rocky relationship with Beijing and his attempts to loosen the constraints on Japan's military.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said he would not speak to "the comments of netizens".
We've heard from a few world leaders already, who've spoken of their shock at the shooting of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. Here's a round-up of some more reaction:
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said , externalhe was "deeply distressed by the attack" and described Abe as a "dear friend".
In Australia, PM Anthony Albanese said his country's "thoughts are with [Abe's] family and the people of Japan at this time".
Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore'e PM, shared a post on Facebook, external, describing the shooting as a "senseless act of violence". He also described Abe as "a good friend of Singapore".
New Zealand's leader Jacinda Ardern recalled Abe being one of the first world leaders she met "when I became Prime Minister". And she said: "Events like this shake us all to the core."
Meanwhile, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the EU Commission, urged Abe to "stay strong", external.
Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, gave a brief reaction in which he said he "didn't know" much about the incident. He also expressed "my condolences to my Japanese colleague for what happened [sic]".
Chinese officials have expressed shock at the shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The country's officials extended condolences to Abe's family and "hopes he will be out of danger and recover soon", a foreign ministry spokesman told a daily briefing in Beijing.
Abe, Japan's longest-serving premier, is currently receiving a blood transfusion in hospital after being shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election in the city of Nara.
Police arrested a 41-year-old man at the scene in connection with the shooting, local media have reported.
Rupert Wingfield-Hayes
BBC Tokyo correspondent
The first question many people will be asking is what was the gun used and how did the shooter get hold of it?
The answer appears to be that he may have built it himself. Photographs taken as the suspect was being apprehended show what looks like an improvised, or home-made, double-barrelled shotgun.
Gun violence is very rare in Japan, and guns are extremely difficult to own. Political violence is also extremely rare.
Abe did have a team of security police with him. But it appears the shooter was still able to get to within a few meters of Abe without any sort of check, or barrier.
The shooting of such a prominent figure is profoundly shocking in a country that prides itself on being so safe.
Image source, Getty ImagesUK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has become the latest world leader to condemn the attack on Shinzo Abe.
Writing on Twitter, Johnson said he is "utterly appalled and saddened to hear about the despicable attack on Shinzo Abe".
He said his "thoughts are with his family and loved ones".
On Thursday, Johnson announced he was stepping down as Conservative leader following mass resignations of his ministers.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno has been speaking to the media after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot at an event in the city of Nara.
He has condemned the "barbaric act" and says a man who appeared to fire the gunshot has been arrested.
Japanese official comments on Shinzo Abe shooting
The younger brother of Shinzo Abe has told reporters in Tokyo that the former prime minister is currently receiving a blood transfusion in hospital and that attempts are being made to save his life.
Nobuo Kishi, who serves as defence minister in the Japanese government, adds that whatever the shooter's motivations are, the attack is an inexcusable act.
Officials earlier said Abe was shot in the neck and chest and has suffered significant internal bleeding.
Image source, Getty ImagesUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed shock at the shooting of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.
Speaking at the G20 gathering of foreign ministers in Indonesia, Blinken said he was ""deeply saddened and deeply concerned" by the shooting.
"Our thoughts, our prayers are with him, with his family, with the people of Japan," Blinken said.
"This is a very, very sad moment. And we're awaiting news from Japan."
Former US President Trump joined Blinken in paying tribute to Abe and in a post to his social network, Truth, called the 67-year-old "a true friend of mine and, much more importantly, America".
Image source, ReutersBefore he was shot, Shinzo Abe had been campaigning for his former party ahead of Sunday's legislative elections.
Abe's Liberal Democratic Party have held a virtual monopoly on power in Japan since the end of the Second World War, and there was little doubt that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida would be returned for a second term this weekend.
In a recent poll,, external the party held a 20 point advantage over its nearest competitor.
While he resigned from office with serious health concerns in 2020, Abe has remained a serious power broker within his party.
His appearance in Nara city was confirmed by the local branch of his party just a day ahead of the rally.
Public rallys like Abe’s are typical in the 20 days before an election, the only period when campaigning is allowed under Japanese law.
And while senior politicians like Abe normally travel with extensive security, attacks on public figures are extremely rare in Japan.
More now from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has been speaking in Tokyo in the wake of the attack on Shinzo Abe.
In an emotional speech, he condemns the shooting as a “heinous act.”
He says that while the shooter's motives remain unknown, the link with the ongoing election campaign cannot be ignored.
“Elections are being held. This is the very foundation of democracy and such an incident took place," he said.
"It is barbaric and malicious and it cannot be tolerated. We will do everything we can, and I would like to use the most extreme words available to condemn this act.”