Japan's former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has died after being shot while giving a speech in the western city of Nara. The treating doctor says he was shot in the heart.
Look back over the day's events.
Key events
- Election campaigning will continue tomorrow: Kishida
- Shinzo Abe showed no signs of life upon arrival at hospital
- Shinzo Abe has died, NHK reports
- WATCH: Fumio Kishida's press conference in full
- WATCH: Shinzo Abe's condition unknown, Japan's chief cabinet secretary says
- Witness says 'shot sounded like a toy'
- Japanese government confirms former PM shot, condition unknown
- Here's what we know so far
Live updates
By Lucy Sweeney
This is where we'll leave you
Here's a recap of the day's events:
- Shinzo Abe, one of the best-known leaders in Japan's modern history, has been assassinated
- Mr Abe was shot from behind while giving a speech in Nara ahead of local elections
- He was rushed to hospital but bled to death
- The gunman, a 41-year-old Nara resident, was tackled at the scene and is in custody
- There's been an outpouring of shock, outrage and bereavement from world leaders, many of whom knew Mr Abe and worked with him closely
Thank you for joining us on a shocking day of news. For all the latest updates throughout the night, you can keep across ABC News Digital.
By Lucy Sweeney
Japan is in shock
There's a definite theme in the tributes we've seen being shared in the wake of this news today. Shock.
There's been an outpouring of grief, from a teary Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to everyday Japanese people sharing their condolences on social media.
"I am incredibly shocked," Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said earlier today, fighting back tears.
"No matter the reason, such a heinous act is absolutely unforgivable. It is an affront against democracy."
Koki Tanaka, a 26-year-old worker in Tokyo, told Reuters:
"I was simply astonished that this could happen in Japan."
Japan's gun laws do not allow private citizens to have handguns, and licensed hunters are only allowed to own only rifles.
People in Japan must attend classes, pass a written test and undergo a mental health evaluation and a background check to own a gun.
In 2021, there were 10 shooting incidents, eight involving gangsters, according to police data.
By Lucy Sweeney
Australia has 'lost a true friend'
Leaders have just begun to emerge from their meetings at the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Bali, where they're also processing today's news.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the assassination "shocking" and "profoundly disturbing". Australia's Penny Wong, fresh out of talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, shared the message of condolence from PM Anthony Albanese.
By Lucy Sweeney
Japan's closest neighbours mark Shinzo Abe's death
Some of Japan's closest neighbours have joined the chorus of condolences for Shinzo Abe.
Here's Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen:
"Not only has the international community lost an important leader, but Taiwan has also lost an important and close friend. Taiwan and Japan are both democratic countries with the rule of law, and our government severely condemns violent and illegal acts."
And a representative of China at the embassy in Japan:
"Former Prime Minister Abe made contributions towards improving China-Japan relations during his term. We express our condolences on his death and send our sympathies to his family."
By Lucy Sweeney
Kishida calls on Japanese public to 'protect democracy'
Japanese PM Fumio Kishida has vowed to "ensure the safety of a free and fair election" and called on voters to do what they can to "protect democracy".
"We must ensure that a free and fair election is conducted safely, and must not let this incident impact daily governance," he said.
"I would like citizens to also think about how to protect our democracy."
By Jordan Hayne
Election campaigning will continue tomorrow: Kishida
Japan's PM says that "under the resolve to never give in to violence, we will continue election campaigning tomorrow".
He says the local government will ensure the safety of anyone campaigning or voting.
By Lucy Sweeney
This is the moment medical officers explained how Shinzo Abe died
About an hour ago now, medical staff from Nara Medical University confirmed the death of Shinzo Abe.
They said while there were some areas where they were able to stop the haemorrhage, there was too much bleeding overall.
"It was not possible for us to totally stop the bleeding. We were able to stop the bleeding in the large vessels but unfortunately he died."
This clip, from NHK, has been translated into English.
By Jordan Hayne
Japan's PM Fumio Kishida is speaking in Tokyo
He describes Mr Abe as a "personal friend, with whom I spent a lot of time".
By Lucy Sweeney
World leaders are mourning a geopolitical giant
We're seeing lots of statements from world leaders, past and present, sharing their shock and sadness over the death of Shinzo Abe.
South Korean President Yoon Seok-youl has described Mr Abe's death as "an unforgiveable act of crime", with New Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern and former Australian PM Tony Abbott expressing their shock.
By Jordan Hayne
The legacy of Shinzo Abe
A hugely influential figure in Japanese politics, Mr Abe was the father of "Abenomics", one of the founding members of the Quad, and brought the Olympics to Tokyo.
But the 67-year-old faced criticism from neighbouring countries over his less-apologetic stance towards Japan's World War II actions and, more recently, his approach to tackling COVID-19.
Mr Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, resigned in August 2020 over an illness that had previously disrupted his political career.
The ABC's Joshua Boscaini has prepared this piece, looking back on Mr Abe's legacy.
By Lucy Sweeney
Looking back at Shinzo Abe's political career
Global affairs editor John Lyons has been looking back on the history Shinzo Abe's political career and the legacy he has left behind.
He says Mr Abe was seen as somebody who reached out on the world stage and had solid relationships around the globe.
By Jordan Hayne
World leaders are reacting to the news of Shinzo Abe's death
Tributes are beginning to pour in, and these three leaders all worked alongside Mr Abe while he was in office.
By Jordan Hayne
Who was Shinzo Abe?
Shinzo Abe was an elder statesman of Japanese politics and its longest-serving prime minister.
He worked alongside many world leaders in his two stints as prime minister, most recently between 2012 and 2020.
His longstanding influence on the country is encapsulated with the phrase 'Abenomics', which has become ubiquitous with his tenure as leader.
He stood down in 2020, due to a health condition, but has remained an active political figure in Japan.
He was campaigning for an ally ahead of this Sunday's upper house elections when he was shot dead.
By Lucy Sweeney
Anthony Albanese expresses his condolences for 'one of Australia's closest friends'
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued a statement on Shinzo Abe's death, which he's described as devastating news.
"The tragic death of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is devastating news. On behalf of the Australian Government and people, we offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to Mrs Abe and to Mr Abe’s family and friends, and to the people of Japan.
"Mr Abe was one of Australia's closest friends on the world stage. It was his vision that helped elevate our bilateral relationship to a Special Strategic Partnership in 2014. Under his leadership Japan emerged as one of Australia’s most like-minded partners in Asia – a legacy that endures today.
"Mr Abe was a leader in the Indo-Pacific, championing a vision of a free and open region. The Quad and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership are in many ways the results of his diplomatic leadership.
"Mr Abe was also a giant on the world stage – a leader in the G7, the G20 and the United Nations. His legacy was one of global impact, and a profound and positive one for Australia.
"Just a few days after being sworn in as Prime Minister, I had the privilege of travelling to Japan for the Quad meeting. In many ways, this grouping is a legacy of Mr Abe’s diplomatic activism.
"Mr Abe was the longest-serving Prime Minister in Japanese history. He will be greatly missed."
By Jordan Hayne
Shinzo Abe bled to death, doctors confirm
Doctors from Nara Medical University Hospital say while they were able to stop some bleeding, they were not able to prevent Mr Abe from bleeding to death.
"Because of the large amount of hemorrhage, it was not possible for us to stop the bleeding," a doctor says.
Mr Abe sustained two deep wounds in the shooting.
By Jordan Hayne
Shinzo Abe showed no signs of life upon arrival at hospital
Doctors say Mr Abe had no vital signs upon arrival in their care and, despite a blood tranfusion, he could not be saved.
They say the injuries he sustained in the shooting were deep enough to reach his heart.
By Jordan Hayne
Doctors could not save Mr Abe
Doctors from Nara Medical University Hospital say Mr Abe was bleeding profusely when he arrived in their care, and could not be saved.
He had sustained wounds around the right side of his neck, they say.
By Jordan Hayne
