Japan's former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has died after being shot while making a campaign speech in the city of Nara earlier on Friday.
Mr Abe, 67, was pronounced dead around five and a half hours after the shooting in the city of Nara.
Police arrested a 41-year-old man and said the weapon was a homemade gun.
It was the first assassination of a sitting or former Japanese premier since the days of pre-war militarism in the 1930s.
NHK aired footage showing Mr Abe collapsing on the street, with several security guards running toward him.
He was bleeding and holding his chest.
Mr Abe was reportedly hit on the left side of his chest and also in the neck.
In the next moment, security guards leapt on top of the suspect in a grey shirt who ended up laying, face-down on the pavement.
Police later identified the suspected shooter as 41-year-old local man Tetsuya Yamagami. He is currently in police custody.
Police said the suspect had admitted to wanting to kill Mr Abe, falsely believing he was connected to a religious organisation he held a grudge against.
Police confirmed the firearm used in the shooting appeared to be home-made and said several similar weapons had been confiscated from the suspect's home.
Doctors pronounced Mr Abe dead at 6pm AEST, despite emergency treatment that included more than 100 units of blood in transfusions.
Mr Abe bled to death from two deep wounds to the heart and the right side of his neck.
Nara Medical University emergency department chief Hidetada Fukushima said Mr Abe suffered major damage to his heart, in addition to two neck wounds that damaged an artery, causing extensive bleeding.
Mr Abe was in a state of cardio and pulmonary arrest when he arrived at the hospital and never regained his vital signs, Dr Fukushima said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the attack happened about 11:30am local time.
An NHK reporter on the scene said they heard two consecutive bangs.
"He was giving a speech and a man came from behind," a young woman at the scene told NHK.
"The first shot sounded like a toy. He didn't fall and there was a large bang. The second shot was more visible, you could see the spark and smoke," she added.
"After the second shot, people surrounded [Mr Abe] and gave him cardiac massage."
Current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms".
Describing Mr Abe as a personal friend who had provided him with valuable advice and support, Mr Kishida said he could not find the words to describe how he felt.
"Mr Abe was a leader who led this country with great leadership," he said.
"I have great respect for the legacy he left behind and I pay the deepest condolences to him."
Having suspended his election campaigning after the shooting, Mr Kishida said the country's election campaign would resume tomorrow.
The Japanese upper house election is due to be held on Sunday.
"Under the resolve to never give in to violence, we will continue election campaigning tomorrow," he said.
"We must ensure that a free and fair election is conducted safely and we must not let this incident impact daily governance."
Earlier Mr Kishida said there would be a review into Mr Abe's security.
"I want to believe there was sufficient security but determining that will be part of investigations," he said.
Mr Abe served two terms as prime minister, becoming Japan's longest-serving premier before stepping down in 2020, citing ill health.
But his administration was also plagued by political scandals, voter outrage at lost pension records, and an election drubbing for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
But he has remained a dominant presence over the LDP, controlling one of its major factions.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called Mr Abe's death "devastating news".
He said the former Japanese PM "one of Australia's closest friends on the world stage".
"Under his leadership Japan emerged as one of Australia's most like-minded partners in Asia, a legacy that endures today," he said.
"His legacy was one of global impact, and a profound and positive one for Australia."
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe "shocking" and "profoundly disturbing" and described him as a leader of great vision.
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Mr Abe on Twitter.
"Japan has lost a great prime minister, who dedicated his life to his country and worked to ensure order in the world," Mr Macron posted.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson described Mr Abe's assassination as "incredibly sad news" on Twitter.
"His global leadership through uncharted times will be remembered by many. My thoughts are with his family, friends and the Japanese people," he tweeted.
ABC/wires
