July 8, 2022 Shinzo Abe shot dead in Nara, Japan

Shinzo Abe collapsed during a speech in Nara City at around 11:30 a.m. local time, and appeared to be bleeding after a possible gunshot in his back, according to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK.

According to an official of the Liberal Democratic Party Abe faction, Abe was shot in the chest and carried away by an ambulance, NHK reported. Police have arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder and retrieved a gun.

Abe arrived in Nara from Haneda Airport via Osaka Airport to give an election campaign speech on the street, to support Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) candidates ahead of the upcoming Upper House elections scheduled for Sunday, according to NHK.

He had planned to head to Kyoto afterward, then to Saitama prefecture, which neighbors the capital Tokyo.

NHK TV is reporting that Abe is moved to Nara Medical University. CNN has not been able to independently verify these reports. 

An official from the Nara City Fire Department official said a man collapsed while giving a speech today, and that man has been transported by ambulance to hospital — but the official said he cannot disclose the man's identity or medical status.

Shinzo Abe was the longest-serving Japanese Prime Minister in history before he stepped down in 2020, citing health reasons.

Abe has colitis, a non-curable inflammatory bowel disease, which was also a factor in his sudden resignation as prime minister in 2007, ending his first term after just over a year in office.

"For almost eight years I controlled my chronic disease, however, this year in June I had a regular check-up and there was a sign of the disease," he said in August 2020, when announcing his resignation.

Serving multiple terms: Abe's first term was marred by controversies and worsening health, and he stepped down as party leader and prime minister in 2007, eventually returning to both positions in 2012.

Following his return as leader, he became the dominant force in Japanese politics, winning a landslide third term in 2017 and a fourth in 2019.

An aerial photo shows emergency vehicles at the scene in Nara, and a small crowd gathered on the sidewalk.

Shinzo Abe, the former Japanese Prime Minister, had been in the city for a speech on Friday.

Shinzo Abe, the former Prime Minister of Japan, was rushed to the hospital on Friday afternoon after a possible shooting during a speech in the city of Nara, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Nara is located just east of Osaka.

Abe served as Prime Minister from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020.