Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has died, according to local media, after he was shot while giving a speech in the city of Nara, in western Japan.
The 67-year-old collapsed and was unconscious when he was taken to hospital after being reportedly shot in the neck and chest.
Here's what we know about the incident so far.
Who is Shinzo Abe?
Mr Abe was a former prime minister of Japan and the longest-serving leader in the country's history.
He was first elected to the top job in 2007 and became the country's youngest prime minister since World War II, but quit later that year due to his ill health.
He was returned as prime minister in December 2012, and promised to revamp the country's economy and revise its constitution.
Mr Abe led his party to six national election victories and survived several scandals, and was re-elected as Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president for a third consecutive three-year term in 2018 after the party changed the rules.
He became known for his "Abenomics" policy, which featured a more relaxed monetary policy and higher government spending, and was instrumental in the country winning the 2020 Olympics for Tokyo.
Mr Abe became the longest-serving Japanese prime minister last year, surpassing the record held by his great uncle Eisaki Sato.
Mr Abe has suffered from ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager, and his worsening chronic health condition prompted him to resign from the job in August 2020, saying he did not want to let his health get in the way of his policy decisions.
"I apologise from the bottom of my heart that despite all of the support from the Japanese people, I am leaving the post with one full year left in my term and in the midst of various policies and coronavirus," Mr Abe said at the time.
He was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga, who resigned in September last year, with the party electing current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as its new leader.
Why was Shinzo Abe in Nara?
Japan is heading to the polls for its upper house election on Sunday — and although he resigned from politics, Mr Abe has remained a major figure within the Liberal Democrat Party.
He controlled one of the party's major factions, and is considered an elder statesman of the LDP because of the stability he brought to the country while serving as prime minister.
In recent days he has joined LDP candidates on the campaign trail, and his last post on Twitter showed him endorsing Kimi Onado.
On Friday, Mr Abe was in the western city of Nara to campaign with Kei Sato, who is the current upper house member of the district running for re-election.
Since news of the attack, Mr Kishida suspended his campaigning and is returning to Tokyo, along with other cabinet members.
What do we know about the incident?
Mr Abe was in the middle of giving a speech in Nara when he collapsed to the ground clutching his chest, with his shirt smeared in blood.
An NHK reporter at the scene said they heard two loud bangs during his speech, with several security guards running towards Mr Abe.
One witness told NHK a man came from behind in the moments before he collapsed.
"The first shot sounded like a toy. He didn't fall and there was a large bang. The second shot was more visible, you could see the spark and smoke," she said.
In an update on Friday afternoon, Mr Kashida said Mr Abe was in a critical condition, and doctors were doing everything possible to save him.
But late on Friday, NHK reported that Mr Abe had died at Nara Medical University Hospital.
Earlier, officials said Mr Abe's heart had stopped and he had stopped breathing while he was being flown to hospital.
NHK reported that police recovered a handmade gun believed to be used in the shooting, and a 41-year-old man was detained for attempted murder.
ABC/wires
