'Dissatisfied' attacker shot Shinzo Abe with self-made gun

The Japanese Police have identified the man arrested for assassinating former prime minister Shinzo Abe on Friday as Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of Nara City, according to local media.

Abe succumbed to bullet injuries hours after he was shot by Yamagami in the chest during a campaign speech in Nara City, western Japan.

Yamagami was immediately overpowered by police officials present at the scene and a gun was retrieved from him.

Japan's public broadcaster NHK, citing police, said that the shooter was taken for questioning to the Nara Nishi police station and that he appears to have made the gun himself.

The assailant did not attempt to run away from the scene after shooting Abe.

The local media also reported, citing police sources, that the attacker is a former member of Japan's Self-Defence Forces.

It said the attacker was 'dissatisfied' with Abe and wanted to kill him.

In his live address to the country after the incident, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, "This is not a forgivable act."

Kishida said adding that authorities would 'take appropriate measures to handle the situation'.

Abe was campaigning on a street for Liberal Democratic Party candidate at the House of Councillors election, scheduled this Sunday when he collapsed after people on the scene heard what sounded like a gun going off twice, local media reported.

Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister had stepped down in 2020 citing health reasons.

He was prime minister of Japan twice, from 2006-07 and again from 2012-20.

He was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga and later by Fumio Kishida.

-- with inputs from ANI