New Delhi: According to local media, Japanese Police have identified the suspect arrested for shooting former prime minister Shinzo Abe on Friday as Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old resident of Nara City. Local media reported that police has detained the assailant and retrieved a gun from the scene. Japan`s public broadcaster NHK, citing police informed that the suspected shooter is being held for questioning at the Nara Nishi police station and that he appears to have made the gun himself. 


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While the police authorities were nabbing the assailant, the man did not attempt to run away, reported news agency ANI. Abe’s assailant is believed to have worked for the Maritime Self Defence Force for three years until around 2005.


Earlier today Abe, 67, was rushed to hospital after he collapsed at 11.30 am (local time) during a campaign speech in the western Japanese city of Nara ahead of Sunday`s elections for Japan`s upper house of Parliament.


Why did Tetsuya Yamagami shot Shinzo Abe?


The local reports suggest that the suspect decided to kill Abe because he disagreed with his policies. According to NHK reports, the police now say that Yamagami told investigators he had a grudge against Abe and decided to kill him. Meanwhile, police have found explosives from the home of Tetsuya Yamagami.


How was ex-Japanese PM Shinzo Abe assassinated? 


Initial media reports, citing authorities said that it appeared that Abe was shot at in the chest and described the condition of the former PM as in "cardiopulmonary arrest." Japanese police said Abe appeared to have been shot from behind with a shotgun, Kyodo news agency said. Abe was conscious and responsive while being transported to the hospital after the possible shooting, Japan`s public broadcaster NHK, said citing police sources.


Abe was campaigning on a street for Liberal Democratic Party candidate at the House of Councillors election, scheduled this Sunday when he collapsed at around 11: 30 am 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 agency inputs)