Japan’s influential politician and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe succumbed to his injuries after being shot at an election campaign event.

Authorities at a hospital in Japan's western Nara city told a news conference: “Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister, succumbed to his injuries."

He died at 5.03 p.m. (0803GMT), the official added. Abe was 67 years old.

The former prime minister was treated for over five hours but could not be revived.

Abe sustained injuries on the right side of his neck when a 41-year-old assailant opened fire on him during the event in the city of Nara early on Friday.

Fumio Kishida, the incumbent prime minister, earlier told a news conference in Tokyo that Abe was “in critical condition” and health workers were “working very hard” to handle the situation.

Abe, 67, was delivering a speech at a political event on a street in the western city of Nara when he was "shot from behind” by a person who has now been arrested.