Shinzo Abe death: shock in Japan at killing of former PM during election campaign

Police believe attacker bore grudge against Abe as some critics question level of security surrounding Japan's longest-serving PM

• Shinzo Abe - a life in pictures

Sorrow and disbelief descended on Japan after Shinzo Abe - the former prime minister and a towering political figure - was shot dead while giving a campaign speech on Friday morning.

Abe, 67, was pronounced dead early in the evening, prompting a flood of tributes from current and former world leaders, and anger that a politician could be gunned down in broad daylight in one of the world's safest societies two days before an election.