Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe unconscious after being shot; attacker in custody

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe collapsed in the western Japan city of Nara on Friday after being attacked by an unidentified man and gunshots were heard in the vicinity, local media reported adding that police has seized the attacker.

Japan's leading news agency Kyodo News citing local authorities reported that PM Abe was unconscious and appeared to be showing no vital signs.

Abe was attacked by a man from behind while he was making a stump speech on a street in Nara. Police has seized the man who attacked Abe at around 11.30 am, The Japan Times reported.

According to initial reports from Japanese public broadcaster, NHK, Shinzo Abe may have been possibly shot in the chest. A local reporter on-site heard something that sounded like a gunshot. The reporter also saw Abe bleeding, media reports said.

Abe Shinzo, a Japanese politician, became prime minister of Japan twice, from 2006-07 and again from 2012-20.

(ANI)