Shinzo Abe was shot while giving a campaign speech at an event in the city of Nara in western Japan, two days before the House of Councilors election.
On site medics battled to save the former Prime Ministers life and he was airlifted to hospital but unfortunately no vital signs were detected and after 4 hours of treatment Abe was declared dead.
Gun crime is incredibly rare in Japan, and footage of the scene taken from a news helicopter apeared to show a makeshift weapon of some kind on the ground near the scene of the shooting.
Police arrested the alleged shooter, Yamagami Tetsuya (aged 41) and charged him with attempted murder before Abe's death was announced.
Abe is Japan's longest serving Prime Minister having served from 2006 to 2007, being elected again in 2012 and stepping down in 2020.
He left his role as Prime Minister due to a health condition but still remained heavily involved in politics