New Delhi: The man who is suspected to have killed Shinzo Abe was dissatisfied with the former Japanese premier, he is said to have told the police.
Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami said he had intended to kill Abe.
Yamagami fatally shot Abe on Friday morning while the Liberal Democratic Party leader was delivering an election speech in Nara, east of Osaka. Witnesses heard two shots being fired.
Local media also reported that explosives were apparently found after a search of the gunman’s home.
Reports said Yamagami, a resident of Nara, had used a hand-made gun.
Video footage showed security officials wrestling him to the ground after the shooting. He didn’t show any intention to run away.
Yamagami was arrested and taken to the Nara Nishi Police Station.
He worked for the Maritime Self-Defence Force for three years until around 2005, NHK reported.
A witness saw Yamagami approaching Abe from behind. She didn’t see anyone fall down after the first shot rang out, but watched Abe collapse after the second shot was fired.
She said the suspect laid down his gun on the ground after the shooting.
A member of Abe’s audience, while recording the leader, inadvertently captured the entire sequence of events that led to his death.
The video, which begins seconds before Abe began his speech, shows the suspect Tetsuya Yamagami standing next to a red banner near a footpath behind Abe. He appears to be checking his surroundings.
A little over a minute into the speech, Yamagami starts walking towards the leader, to the right, stops and watches the former prime minister carry on.
Yamagami is seen listening for about 40 seconds. Then he moves again and takes something out of his bag. He walks nearer Abe at an angle from behind, coming within several metres of the leader.
The suspect then takes aim and immediately fires, a little over two minutes into Abe’s speech. Yamagami fires a second shot a few seconds later, and Abe collapses.
He then takes a step backwards and is tackled by security guards.
Also read: Japan’s former PM Shinzo Abe dies after being shot during election speech