Shinzo Abe, Former Japanese Prime Minister, Is Assassinated

TOKYO—Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest serving prime minister, died after being shot twice on Friday while giving an election campaign speech, sending shock waves through the political establishment and a country unaccustomed to gun violence. 

Mr. Abe, who was 67 years old, was prime minister until late 2020 and was one of Japan’s best known but polarizing politicians. He was shot in the chest and near the neck by a man who approached him from behind as he spoke at around 11:30 a.m. in the city of Nara, according to witnesses, authorities and video footage.

Mr. Abe died at around 5:03 p.m., doctors at the hospital where he was taken said.

Police named the suspect as Tetsuya Yamagami, a resident of Nara. Mr. Yamagami told police he disliked Mr. Abe but didn’t have a political grudge against him, according to public broadcaster NHK.