Japan's ex-PM Shinzo Abe shot in chest during event in Nara, condition unknown

Japans former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was in heart failure after apparently being shot during a campaign speech Friday in western Japan NHK public television said FridayThe broadcaster aired footage showing Abe collapsed on the street with several security guards running toward him Abe was holding his chest when he collapsed with his shirt smeared with blood NHK says Abe was rushed to a hospitalAlso read In photos Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe shot in chestAbe was in Nara campaigning ahead of Sundays election for the parliaments upper house and was giving a speech when people heard a gunshotPolice arrested a male suspect at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder NHK saidThe attack was a shock in a country thats one of the worlds safest and with some of the strictest gun control laws anywhereThe term heart failure means the heart cannot sufficiently pump blood and supply necessary oxygen to the rest of the body In Japan officials sometimes use the term to describe situations where victims are no longer alive but before a formal declaration of death has been madeIt was not immediately clear how serious Abes injuries were or if he was still displaying vital signsAbe stepped down in 2020 because he said a chronic health problem has resurfaced Abe has had ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager and has said the condition was controlled with treatmentHe told reporters at the time that it was gut wrenching to leave many of his goals unfinished He spoke of his failure to resolve the issue of Japanese abducted years ago by North Korea a territorial dispute with Russia and a revision of Japans warrenouncing constitutionThat last goal was a big reason he was such a divisive figureHis ultranationalism riled the Koreas and China and his push to normalize Japans defense posture angered many Japanese Abe failed to achieve his cherished goal of formally rewriting the USdrafted pacifist constitution because of poor public supportSupporters of Abe said that his legacy was a stronger USJapan relationship that was meant to bolster Japans defense capability But Abe made enemies too by forcing his defense goals and other contentious issues through parliament despite strong public oppositionAbe is a political blue blood who was groomed to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi His political rhetoric often focused on making Japan a normal and beautiful nation with a stronger military and bigger role in international affairsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever