The big picture: Abe, who was most recently in power from December 2012 to September 2020, was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister. He stepped down in 2020 for health reasons, but remained influential in politics. What happened: Abe was shot while delivering a campaign speech in the city of Nara ahead of Sunday’s election for the upper house of parliament, NHK reported.

He was rushed to hospital but showed no vital signs, according to NHK. He suffered two gunshot wounds and died shortly after 5 p.m. local time, health officials said at a news conference. Police arrested the suspected attacker, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, according to NHK. The former member of the Japanese navy was reportedly unhappy with Abe and wanted to kill him as a result, but not because of political differences. The weapon found at the scene was apparently homemade. Shootings are extremely rare in Japan – a country with some of the most restrictive gun control laws in the world. There were 10 shootings and one gun-related death in Japan last year, the Washington Post notes. Abe’s widow, Aki Abe, will travel with his body to Tokyo, where his family is, his office told CNN. Funeral arrangements will then be made.

What they say: “He worked for peace and stability in Japan and the world,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said after Abe’s death was confirmed.

“He was a dear friend who loved this country,” Kishida added. “To lose such a figure in this way is absolutely devastating.” Earlier Friday, Kisda called the attack on Abe “barbaric and malicious and cannot be tolerated.” “This is not a forgivable act,” Kishida said, adding that authorities “will take appropriate measures to handle the situation.”

World leaders expressed shock and outrage at the killing.

“This is shocking. It’s deeply troubling … It’s also such a powerful personal loss for so many people,” US Secretary of State Tony Blinken told reporters in Indonesia where he is attending a gathering of G20 foreign ministers. “In the United States, Prime Minister Abe has been an excellent partner. And someone who has clearly been a great leader for Japan,” Blinken added. “Mr Abe was one of the first world leaders I met when I became prime minister. He was always focused, thoughtful and generous,” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a statement. “This act of violence against Japan’s longest serving prime minister is unfathomable and we stand with Japan in condemning what happened today.”

Background: Abe rose to prominence in national politics in the early 2000s, according to the New York Times.

He first became prime minister in 2006, but resigned suddenly a year later after several political scandals. Abe returned for a second term as prime minister in 2012, pledging to revive the economy and amend the country’s pacifist constitution – a goal he failed to achieve due to poor public support. The end of his term saw strong ties to the US, particularly former President Trump. By the time he announced he was stepping down in 2020, citing ongoing health problems with ulcerative colitis, his popularity had declined due to his handling of the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic and a series of political scandals, according to the Times. His more than seven years in power have given him a rare steady hand at the top of Japanese politics. The country was known for its frequent prime ministerial turnover before he took office in 2012.

Go deeper: World leaders express shock at assassination of Japan’s Shinzo Abe Editor’s note: This story has been updated with new details.