Mr Abe was an influential member of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party. (AFP: Kazuhiko Hirano, Yomiuri, The Yomiuri Shimbun)
Photos have captured the dramatic moments after former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated in Nara on Friday morning and the outpouring of grief that followed.
The 67-year-old was speaking to a crowd of people outside the Yamato Saidaiji train station ahead of Sunday's upper house elections.
Mr Abe had been campaigning alongside Liberal Democrat Party candidates in recent days, and had joined Kei Sato on Friday.
It was a regular day on the hustings when, midway through his speech, two loud bangs rang out, a plume of smoke appeared and Mr Abe collapsed.
The dramatic moment gunshots are heard and the alleged suspect is tackled
Bystanders quickly rushed to help Mr Abe, who was lying on the ground next to a guard rail, with blood splattered across his chest.
Bystanders rush to help former PM Shinzo Abe People quickly rushed to Mr Abe's aid. (Supplied: Kyodo/Reuters)
Moments later, authorities chased after a man believed to have fired the homemade gun, tackling and pinning him to the ground.
The suspect was holding the alleged weapon when he was first approached. (The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images) Reinforcements then came to stop the suspect leaving the scene. (Getty: The Asahi Shimbun) The suspect was tackled to the ground by officials after dropping the alleged weapon. (AFP: The Yomiuri Shimbun) Authorities pinned the suspect down. (AFP: Takashi Yamazaki/The Yomiuri Shimbum) The suspect was quickly taken into custody. (AFP: Takashi Yamazaki/The Yomiuri Shimbum)
The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, has since been detained by Japanese police for murder.
Meanwhile, first responders arrived and investigators cordoned off the street.
Emergency services arrived at the scene moments after the shooting. (Supplied: Shohei Izumi/ AFP) Investigators inspected the site for evidence. (Supplied: Kyodo/AP) Police cordoned off the area to keep the public away. (Supplied: Masazumi Nakahara/AFP) Mr Abe had been standing near this guardrail when he was shot. (Kyodo via Reuters )
Mr Abe was then flown to the Nara Medical University Hospital, where he died on Friday afternoon.
Mr Abe was flown to a nearby hospital for treatment. (AP) Mr Abe was later pronounced dead at Nara Medical University Hospital. (Kyodo via Reuters)
Mr Abe's wife Akie arrived at the hospital shortly before her husband was pronounced dead.
Akie Abe arrived at Nara Medical University Hospital shortly before her husband was pronounced dead. (AFP: Philip Fong)
Doctors from Nara Medical University Hospital said Mr Abe arrived in a state of cardio and pulmonary arrest and never regained his vital signs.
They said he bled to death from two deep wounds to the heart and the right side of his neck.
Medical staff from Nara Medical University confirm the death of Shinzo Abe.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the attack. He described Mr Abe as both a great leader of Japan and a personal friend.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida spoke to media about Shinzo Abe from his office in Tokyo. (AFP: Masanori Genko/The Yomiuri Shimbun)
News of the assassination shocked the country.
People in Tokyo read a special edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reporting the death of Shinzo Abe. (Reuters: Kim Kyung-Hoon)
Mourners quickly gathered at the site of the site of the shooting, laying flowers in tribute to Mr Abe.
A woman cries at the site where Shinzo Abe was shot. (Reuters: Issei Kato) A Japanese flag is placed among the floral tributes to Shinzo Abe at the scene of the shooting. (Reuters: Issei Kato) People have been laying flowers at the site where Mr Abe was shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election. (ABC News: Yumi Asada)
ABC/wires
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