TOKYO — Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe collapsed bleeding and was in heart failure after apparently being shot during a campaign speech in western Japan, NHK public television said Friday.
NHK said Abe was rushed to a hospital.
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots in the apparent attack in Nara. He was standing while making an election campaign speech ahead of Sunday’s election for the parliament’s upper house.
Separately, the Kyodo News reported Abe was unconscious and taken away by ambulance and the Japan Times reported a man was in custody for the attack.
The incident appeared to have little effect on Japan’s stock market
NIK,
at least for the time being.
This is a breaking story that will be updated.
MarketWatch contributed to this report.
