Japanese police said on Friday, July 8, 2022, that the person who shot former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has confessed to his crime and that he intentionally targeted and killed him.

Also, the police said that the suspect in the killing of the former prime minister revealed his motives for that, and that he was resentful of an organization he believed Shinzo Abe was associated with. They added: "The suspect admitted that he was resentful towards a certain organization and that he committed the crime because he believed former Prime Minister Abe was connected to it."

Assassination of the former Japanese Prime Minister 
Japanese media revealed on Friday, July 8, 2022, that the weapon used in the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was homemade. They added that the assassin is "Yamagami Tetsuya," a former member of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and apparently used a homemade weapon consisting of pipes, adhesive tape, wood, and mostly explosive components. 

Japan's public broadcaster NHK announced, quoting sources from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the hospital after being shot during a speech in the city of Nara on Friday.

Abe was shot in the right side of his neck, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Tokyo.

The former prime minister collapsed during a speech he gave in the city of Nara at around 11:30 am local time in Japan and appeared to be bleeding after being shot from behind, according to NHK, which reported that police arrested a suspect and confiscated a homemade gun.

It is noted that Shinzo Abe, since assuming the position of Prime Minister of Japan in 2012 until his resignation in 2020, was considered the longest-serving government official in terms of consecutive days spent in office.

Japan is one of the safest countries in the world 

Japan is considered one of the safest countries in the world, and the authorities strictly enforce gun ownership laws. The last time a current or former Japanese prime minister was killed was 90 years ago.

The killing of the former Japanese prime minister shocked citizens; local residents and others expressed their anger and fear after the armed attack on the official, according to what was published by Japan in Arabic website.

A 53-year-old woman, who was among a crowd listening to the speech at the time of the attack, said: "I heard a popping sound, and I turned to find Mr. Abe lying on the ground." She added: "The suspect showed no signs of fleeing, and he had a long gun." Adding: "My heart was pounding hard and I was scared."

This comes after the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation announced the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, after he was attacked with a gunfire while giving a speech at an election rally in the city of Nara in western Japan.

The Japanese government had announced hours earlier that Shinzo Abe's condition was very critical following the shooting. For its part, the Japanese Broadcasting Corporation reported, quoting the police, that the suspect who shot Shinzo Abe told the police that he was dissatisfied with Abe and intended to kill him, while Japanese media said the suspect is a former member of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

The public broadcaster NHK had earlier reported that a man in his forties was arrested on attempted murder charges after shooting Abe, and a piece of weapon was confiscated from him.

The former prime minister, 67, was giving a speech at an election rally before the Upper House elections scheduled for Sunday when the sound of gunfire was heard, according to NHK and the Kyodo news agency.