Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe , a political blue-blood who became one of his country’s most influential figures of recent times, died Friday after being shot during a campaign speech in western Japan. His assassination in one of Asia’s safest societies stunned the world. China, the United States, Russia, India were among the world powers that expressed their condolences and acknowledged the significant role he played in diplomacy during two separate stints as prime minister. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged to go ahead with Sunday’s elections for the upper house of parliament saying the lone gunman’s actions were “dastardly” and “barbaric”. Kishida said he was “lost for words” over the death of Abe, 67, whose support within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was crucial in his elevation to the prime ministership last year. “I was praying that his life would be saved, but despite that, I came to learn of (his death),” an emotional Kishida told reporters. “It is truly regrettable. I am lost for words. I offer my sincere condolences and prayers that his soul may rest in peace.” Shinzo Abe: the force behind Japan’s policies on China, defence, economy Abe was delivering a stump speech outside a train station in the city of Nara when he was shot. A video aired by public broadcaster NHK showed Abe speaking emphatically, with his left fist raised and clenched. In the next moment, two loud bangs are heard in quick succession and Abe collapses on the street, with security guards rushing towards him. He holds his chest, his shirt smeared with blood. The gunman, who shot Abe from about three metres away, is immediately apprehended. A double-barrelled weapon – later described by local media as a handmade gun – is seen on the ground. Nara police confirmed the arrest of Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, on suspicion of attempted murder. They said an explosives team raided the suspect’s home to gather evidence. The man is reported to have served in Japan’s navy for three years in the 2000s, and NHK said he wanted to kill Abe over matters “that were not related to political views”. Shinzo Abe shooting: what’s known about the attacker In a press conference, Hidetada Fukushima, the doctor who treated Abe at the Nara Medical University Hospital, said he had no vital signs when he arrived. The former premier suffered two gunshot wounds that were in proximity to each other, Fukushima said. He was given a “massive” blood transfusion” but efforts to save him were futile, and Abe was pronounced dead at 5.03pm local time, about five hours after he was shot. Kishida, who served as foreign minister under Abe and has the backing of the faction of the LDP led by Abe, described the late leader as a “good friend”. “He loved this country and always looked one step ahead of the times,” Kishida said. “He was a great politician who left many achievements in terms of developing the future of the country in various fields. To lose him in such a way is a great sadness.” Abe’s clout partly had to do with his illustrious political family. His grandfather Nobusuke Kishi and great-uncle Eisaku Sato were both prime ministers, while his father Shintaro Abe was a foreign minister. The current defence minister, Nobuo Kishi, is Abe’s younger brother. Abe’s political hallmark was his record as the country’s longest-serving post-war prime minister. His nearly eight-year tenure in power from 2012 to 2020, following a 2006-2007 stint, marked a change from an era in the early 2000s when there was a rapid turnover of leaders. In his first period as premier, he quit after a year as the country’s youngest post-war leader, at the age of 52, citing his struggles with ulcerative colitis , an intestinal ailment. But with the LDP ousted from power for the first time following his departure, and with the help of medication, Abe returned to the fray in 2012 to preside over a landslide election victory. Abe’s signature policy on the economic front was “Abenomics” comprising aggressive monetary policy, fiscal consolidation and spurring growth. On the strategic front, he sought to unwind Japan’s post-war pacifism, a stance that deeply concerned Beijing and which has remained a priority for his successors including Kishida. It also proved unpopular at home, and his bid to amend the pacifist Article 9 of the country’s post-war constitution was unsuccessful. While he was branded a ultra-conservative foreign policy hawk by some observers, there has been acknowledgment that he took a pragmatic approach with China. When the Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Osaka in 2019 for G20 talks – the first visit by a top Chinese leader in nine years – Abe said he hoped to “open up a new age of Japan-China relations”. That overture was a high point following tensions over the East China Sea earlier in his second stint as prime minister and came as he sought to balance off the unpredictability of the then US President Donald Trump. He stepped down in September 2020 , following an erosion of public support due to his handling of the Covid-19 outbreak as well as a series of scandals including the arrest of his former justice minister. China said it was “shocked” by Abe’s passing. Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the ex-leader “made contributions to promoting the improvement and development of China-Japan relations”. President Joe Biden said he was “stunned outraged and deeply saddened” by Abe’s assassination. “He was a champion of the friendship between our people. The United States stands with Japan in this moment of grief,” he said. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter of his last meeting with Abe, writing that he was “shocked and saddened beyond words” by the death of his “dear friend”. Yoon Suk-yeol , the president of South Korea – a neighbour that often bristled over Abe’s stance on atonement for the second world war – sent his condolences to Abe’s family and the Japanese people “who lost the longest-serving prime minister and respected politician”. Across Asia, the leaders of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand were among those offering condolences. Abe leaves behind his wife of 35 years, Akie Matsuzaki. They had no children.