Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has collapsed while giving a public speech, apparently after being shot.

The attack happened in the Japanese city of Nara – between Kyoto and Osaka – at lunchtime on Friday (local time).

Mr Abe, 67, was making an election campaign speech ahead of Sunday’s election for the Japanese parliament’s upper house, when he suddenly collapsed to the ground with blood on his chest.

A reporter on the scene from Japanese public broadcaster NHK said they heard two consecutive bangs during Mr Abe’s speech.

Video circulating on social media shows people working frantically on Mr Abe while he lies on the ground.

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Kyodo News said the former PM was not unconscious and appeared to be in cardiac arrest. He has reportedly been taken to hospital.

Japanese authorities said they had a man in custody on attempted murder.

Mr Abe was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister before stepping down nearly two years ago due to ill health. He suffers from ulcerative colitis and had cut short a previous term as PM, also due to health concerns.

-more to come