Tokyo, July 8: Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, who was shot at during an election campaign in western Japan’s Nara city, has died, news agency said quoting Japanese media house NHK. The Nara fire department had earlier said that the 67-year-old Abe was in cardiopulmonary arrest before he was taken to the hospital. They said that he had been wounded on the right side of the neck and the left clavicle. Abe’s wife Akie has reached the hospital, reported Japanese media.

A 41-year old man Tetsuva Yamagami, believed to be a resident of Nara City, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder for shooting at Abe, reported Japanese media house NHK quoting police sources. He is reportedly a former member of the maritime self-defence force and appears to have shot at the ex-Prime Minister from behind with a homemade gun. The reason for the attack is yet to be confirmed.

PM Modi had earlier said he was deeply distressed by the attack on Abe. In footage aired on TV, Abe is seen collapsing on the street, with several security guards running toward him. The 67-year-old world leader is then seen holding his chest through his blood-smeared shirt as he collapsed.

Shinzo Abe comes from a political family. His grandfather Nobusuke Kishi was PM (1957-60), then his father Shintaro Abe was Foreign Minister (1982-86). He later became Japan’sw longest-serving PM by consecutive days in office, overtaking the record of Eisaku Sato, his great-uncle, who served 2,798 days during 1964-72. Abe had first become the country’s PM in 2006, but resigned in 2007 due to illness. His second stint as PM began in 2012.

In his first stint in 2006-07, Abe visited India and addressed Parliament. During his second stint, he visited India thrice (January 2014, December 2015, September 2017) — the most visits by any Japanese PM.-Agencies