Japanese ex-PM Shinzo Abe shot while making election speech

YEREVAN, JULY 8, ARMENPRESS. Japanese former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot on Friday while campaigning for a parliamentary election, with public broadcaster NHK saying a man armed with an apparently homemade gun opened fired at him from behind, Reuters reports.

Police said a 41-year-old man suspected of carrying out the shooting in the western city of Nara had been arrested.

Kyodo news agency and NHK said Abe, 67, appeared to be in a state of cardiac arrest when airlifted to hospital, after having initially been conscious and responsive.

TBS Television reported that Abe had been shot on the left side of his chest and apparently also in the neck.