this is cnn breaking news. hello and welcome to all of you watching here in the united states, canada and all around the world. we are following breaking news out of japan. former prime minister shinzo abe has been rushed to the hospital after being shot. it happened when he was giving a speech in western japan. have a look here. [speaking in foreign language] >> japan's current prime

minister says abe is in critical condition and doctors are fighting to save his life. the fire department reports that abe was in a state of pulmonary arrest. they were quick to arrest the gunman, a plan in his 40s, saying he used a home made gun. we are live this hour in tokyo. what more can you tell us? >> you just heard the booming gunshots ring out in the video you just played. japanese broadcaster reporting former prime minister shinzo abe was shot, once in the chest and one on the right side of his neck. it happened this morning in the western city of nara. about an hour ago, the current prime minister held a press conference and addressed abe's current condition. take a listen. [speaking in foreign language]

first of all in the morning, i received the news that the former prime minister was shot and now in critical condition. emergency operation is taking place to save his life. i pray he pulls through. >> he went on to call today's shooting an unforgivable act. now, after the shooting, the former prime minister was bleeding from his chest and in staid of cardiac arrest, witnesses say abe, shot from behind, did not collapse after the first shot but did after the second shot before receiving cpr. the suspect, a man in his 40s, he has been arrested in possession of what nhk is describing as a home made gun. witnesses say that the suspect did not attempt to run and was arrested on the spot before being taken to a local police station for questioning. now, cnn has, again, seen the video. you just saw the video while he was delivering that speech.

you can hear the gunshots ring out. he was there in japan's western city delivering a stump speech for liberal democratic candidates ahead of the upper house elections for this sunday. he is the longest serving prime minister, first elect in 2006 before stepping down because of health conditions, a long-term disease that can be debilitating. despite stepping down he remained a key player in japanese politics, speaking candidly. some of the policies and remarks have been seen as controversial, critics says his policies operated outside of the constitution. advising the defense policy to allow for japanese troops to fight overseas for the first time since world war ii. he also had intentions to

revise the constitution to legitimize the military. what we know is the former prime minister was shot twice, current lein currently in critical condition. we don't know the condition of the suspect in custody. >> you highlighted the sounds of the gunshots, gun violence so rare in japan. >> reporter: yeah, here in japan gun violence is almost nonexistent. number of deaths have not reached triple digits since the year of 2000 with the number of homicides involving guns often in the single digits. the reason according to gun control advocates, the firearm regulations are extremely restrictive here in japan under the 1958 firearm and sword law, most guns are illegal in the country under that law. possession is really only allowed if special approval is obtained. before that can even happen you

have to pass a background check, explain to the police why you need a gun, receive formal instruction and pass collective written, mental and drug test in order to even be allowed to be in possession of a gun. so, you know, at this point, you know, the fact that this happened, gun violence, you know, so rare in japan. very shocking especially since it happened to the former prime minister. >> exactly right. blake, live in tokyo. thank you very much. we are getting new images from those that witnessed the attack on abe. have a look here. this video was posted online. you can see people running for help and trying to provide first aid and assistance. reaction is pouring in from world leaders. out going british prime minister boris johnson says he is utterly appalled. >> deeply distressed by the

attack on my dear friend abe. thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and the people of japan. the u.s. ambassador says that abe has been an outstanding leader of japan, unwaiverring ally with the u.s. government. top diplomat is attending the g- 20 spoke out a short while ago. here he is. >> i have to say before we meet. how deeply saddened and deeply concerned we are about the news coming from japan about the attempt on the life of former prime minister abe. we don't know his condition. we do know that apparently he has been shot. our thoughts, our prayers are with him, with his family, with the people of japan. this is a very, very sad moment. we are waiting news from japan.

thank you. former australian prime minister tweets he is horrified by this terrible news. right now we must hope and pray that he pulls through. all right, let's go to cnn will ripley. now, will, abe just recently made controversial public comments about supporting tiawan. >> reporter: yes, he spoken out at length, saying the united states should do away with the policy of strategic ambiguity leaving the question if they were to come to aid if they make a move that the communists continue to claim 70 years after the chinese civil war. and chinese, i should say, tiawan president put out a statement strongly condemning it. he is a friend of hers, close friend supporting tiawan and spared no

efforts promoting the relations hoping that abe will pull through. a lot of people here that believe that former prime minister abe support of this island is crucial and motivating the united states to, perhaps, come to the defense of this island that is sitting in a crucial spot on the front island chain when it comes to japan's defense with the shores hitting 100 miles from japan's outlying islands and prime minister abe has been one of the people whose voice is crucial in getting japan to publicly signal what it would do if china were to move on this island. japan in the process of installing missile launchers on its own islands because of the heightened tensions in this region. abe, given as blake was mentioning, a move from to a role in defense force. it does show he is still, even after leaving the office, has his finger on the pulse of

what is happening in this region. of the stepped up military in this region. he has the ear of a lot of leaders inside and outside of japan. his point of view still very, very crucial. very relevant even after stepping down from being japan's longest serving prime minister. >> having the ear of world leaders, trump was just tweeting his prayers for abe. they had a close, good, amicable relationship. they seemed to get along really well. abe seemed to know what made trump tick. >> yeah. that was deliberate on the part of abe. he was the first world leader, i believe, to give then president-elect trump a congratulatory phone call at trump tower. it was soon that he made a point to meet with the former president and of course, president trump when he visited tokyo a number of years ago,

abe rolled out the red carpet for him. he did not subject trump to the traditional, you know, fanfare and ceremony and formalities one would expect. abe took trump out for a hamburger in tokyo, played golf together. as a result president trump always answered the phone when abe called and abe was able to suddenly coax and get trump to do things in japan's nodes. he knew the strong and stable alliance with the us how crucial it is for japan no matter who is in the office. and taught a lesson who struggled how to deal with former trump, he showed what needed to be done to have a sustainable and working relationship with him. >> all right, always appreciate your analysis, thank you very much. we will be right back with more of our

breaking news after this break. please do stay with us for people who are a little intense about hydration. neutrogena® hydro boost lightweight. fragrance-free. 48 hour hydration. for thatat healthy skin glow. neutrogena®. for peopople with skin. with angi, you can connect with and see ratings and reviews. and when you book and pay throug you're covered by our happiness check out angi.com today. angi... and done.

(heartbeats) introducing icy hot pro. ice works fast... to freeze your pain and your doubt. heat makes it last. so you'll never sit this one out. new icy hot pro with 2 max-strength pain relievers. hmmm. -good morning jen. shall we see how you slept? all right, sleep tracker, let's see the damage. oh! that's not good. you sound... tired. oh, thanks.

what? when did i- morning! oh, great. there's two of them. good days start with good nights. so i would ask your doctor about both. calling doctor johannes. no, please, i can do that. all right?

breaking news this hour, former japanese prime minister shinzo abe is in critical condition after being shot during a campaign rally. he suffered a gunshot wound to the fleck, he is under going treatment as doctors try to save his life. it happened in western japan. in the city of nara. a male suspect, in his 40s, was arrested. it is said he used a home made

gun. >> thanks for being here with us. such a huge shock. how are people reacting there? >> it is incredibly shocking. not only because abe is such a huge giant of a political figure but also because gun violence is so rare in japan. last year there were 10 shootings. eight of them were related to the japanese criminal network. so, it is rare to see a shooting at all. then to see a political leader attacked like this. it is just a shocking day. >> yeah, you know, abe he was the country's longest serving prime minister, he had to step down for health reasons, just tell us what he sort of represents now to people there. >> shinzo abe, even though he stepped down he remains influential and he has the ear of the public. there is a reason he is

crisscrossing the country to stomp for candidates, people will turn out and listen to him. he represented an era of political stability, a time when he raised japan's profile abroad. he focused on japan's defense and if it is adequately defending itself, if its constitution is serving its people enough, and if the economy needs to be rejuvenated. it is really the public respects, i mean he is controversial as well, but they respect what he has to say. that is why he is stumping, that is what he was doing this morning when a gunman attacked him. >> what is he like not just as a politician but as a plan? >> well, he is, likeable, he, you know, he is good on the global stage. probably one of the most recognizable nose figures, politically, globally. so, he is very, you know,

charming, he is say seasoned politician. comes from a political family. incredibly well connected. recognizable. on the campaign trail people show up when he appears, people attend, there was quite a crowd today as well, at the event. >> i am wondering. you were talking about the level of gun violence in japan. it is obviously so low, the country is held up as a model of countries especially when we are looking at what we are seeing hoer in the united states with so much gun violence, will this, you think, shake people's confidence in their own public safety that something like this could happen? >> i think it will be a shaking event. there are some, you know, high profile incidents of crimes here and there when wherever there is one, like an arson attack, it rattles the country because crime rates in general are low. you think about the security that was present today.

there was at least one secret service person, there is not that much crime any way. i anticipate it will start some sort of dialogue around safety and how safe people feel. especially when it comes to guns. so hard to get a gun here. today the gunman appears to home made his gun. it is a question on if gun regulations are enough, too. >> absolutely. all right, we will keep following the story. really appreciate your insights here michelle lee in tokyo, thank you very much. we will be right back with more news after this break. stay with us

pre-rinsing your dishes? you could be using the wrong detergent. and wasting up to 20 gallons of water. skip the rinse with finish quantum. its activelift technology provides an unbeatable clean on 24 hour dried-on stains. skip the rinse with finish to save our water.

an update on our breaking news. we have graphic video to show you of the moment that the former prime minister shinzo abe was shot and wounded. take a look at this. [speaking in foreign language] [ sound of gunfire ] >> this happened in nara in western japan. the current prime minister says abe is in critical condition and doctors are fighting to save his life. the police say he was shot in the neck and chest. the police arrested the gunman, described as a man in his 40s. he did not try to run away. he used a home made gun. let's go back live in tokyo. blake, i know there is, developing story. what more can you tell us right

now? >> reporter: very emotional day here in japan. to talk about what happened early this morning, japanese public broadcaster, nhk is reporting that he has been shot twice, once in the chest and according to fire and disaster, once on the right side of his neck. it happened while delivering a speech at 11:30 this morning local time in the western city of nara. earlier this afternoon, 1 1/2 hours ago, prime minister kishida held a press conference. >> first of all, in the morning, i received the news that the former prime minister, abe, was shot and is in critical condition. emergency operation is taking place to save his life. i pray he pulls through. >> you heard the current prime

minister kishida is in critical condition. he called today's shooting unforgivable act. now, after the shooting, the former prime minister was bleeding from his chest and in cardiac arrest, he did not collapse after the first shot but did after the second shot after receiving cpr. the suspect, a man in his 40s, nhk is describing as a home made gun, the suspect did not attempt to run. he was arrested on the spot before being taken to a local police station for questioning. abe was there in japan's western city to deliver a stump speech for liberal democratic candidates ahead of the upper house election set for this sunday. now, abe is japan's longest serving prime minister, elect inside 2006 and then in 2012 before stepping down in 2020 because of health concerns, despite stepping down he remains a key player in

japanese politics speaking candidly, even recently, about tiawan hitting at the role there. some policies and remarks have been seen as controversial with critics saying some of the policies operated outside of the constitution including reviving the defense policy to allow for japanese troops to fight overseas for the first time since world war ii. policies aside, the situation remains fluid. we don't yet know the motivation of the suspect in custody. we do know the former prime minister shot twice and in critical condition. >> i want to go back to the top. it being an emotional day in japan. tell us how people are reacting? >> i mean, look. there is an overwhelming sense of sadness and shock across japan. really, around the world. some taken to social media

calling today's shooting a barbaric act that shakes the root of democracy law. saying whether or not you agree with his political stances, violence to stop it. the majority of social media posts are expressing concern for the former prime minister's health and well being, hoping he will survive. i talk about it earlier, the current prime minister kishida really set the tone. he appeared emotional, almost in tears while speaking to the press and said that this is not a forgivable act. that, we are going to have to comprehend the situation and take appropriate measures. again it is fair to say it is a shocking day for the people here in japan, really, around the world with news of what has happened to the former

prime minister. >> absolutely. all right, blake, live in tokyo, i appreciate the updates. we will go now to beijing. when it comes to japan's relationship with china, abe just recently, again, stirring the pot. not afraid to confront china about tiawan and other issues. >> one of his lasting legacies will be paving the way for japan's stance on security issues. especially when it comes to china. even after he stepped down he was behind-the-scenes encouraging the current prime minister to take that more sort of assertive stance. he had a course written, this opt ed, calling for the united states to end the policy when it comes to tiawan and commit to defending tiawan in there is an attack.

there was already frosty relations between china and japan over the disputed islands and critics say that that freeze in relations did not get better despite his years of leadership. and his other major legacy will be strengthening those ties between japan and the u.s. as a way to cope with a rising china. he had a cozy relationship with previous president trump, one of the few world leaders that was able to sustain a relationship with him, regularly, having phone chats, playing golf with trump. that was something that set him apart from other world leaders that struggled with this u.s. president. he strengthened the a hroeuances and he was a proponent of the quad as well. he was also incredibly devicive person. partly in japan, because of his push to bolster japan's military. he wanted to revise the

passavist constitution, he wanted to restore the country to previous economic military powers, restore national pride. it is impossible, really, to overstate how influential he was over japanese society, politics even after he stepped down. he is and was a political giant. we are seeing the impact of this around the world with global leaders rushing to express their condolences. i was based in japan before this posting and when i am speaking to people in japan in is an overwhelming sense of disbelief. culturally, of course, because gun violence is nonexistent and because of how influential he is. >> i wanted to dial into your

experience covering japan. how rare is this type of political attack? >> incredibly. incredibly rare. reports the last one was decades ago. and, to have this level, this gun violence happen to one of the most influential leaders ever, they are shaking, violence overall is so rare. one of the safest places to live. incredibly hard to get a gun. while attacks like knife attacks are more common. even those are rare. i covered a knife attack that happened on a subway on halloween and it shook people's core. this attack will reignite the discussion in japan about how safe are our people and do they

need to reevaluate. >> thank you very much. >> we will be right back with more news after this short break. please do stay with us yep, them too. it's an invigorating rushsh... ...zapping millions of germs in secononds. for that one-of-a-kind whoa... ...whihich leaves you feeling... ahhhhhhh listerine. feel the whoa!

you don't know how much pressure you put on your septic system. but rid-x does. in a 21 month study, scientists proved that rid- x reduces up to 20% of waste build up every month. take the pressure off with rid-x. lactaid is 100% real milk, just without the lactose. tastes great in our iced coffees too. which makes waking up at 5 a.m. to milk the cows a little easier. (moo) mabel says for you, it's more like 5:15. man: mom, really?

pain hits fast. so get relief fast. only tylenol rapid release gels have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast for fast pain relief.

and now get relief without a pill with tylenol dissolve packs. relief without the water. i was hit by a car and needed help. i called the barnes firm. that was the best call i could've made. i'm rich barnes. it's hard for people to know how much their accident case is let our injury attorneys know he how much their accident cget the best result possible.

i had no idea how much i wamy case was worth. c call the barnes firm to find out what your case could be worth. we will help get you the best result possible. ♪ call one eight hundred, eight million ♪ updating our breaking news out of japan, former prime minister

shinzo abe is now in critical condition after being shot. seconds later, the attacker was tackled. he was in the state of pulmonary arrest. he is under going emergency treatment. >> the downfall of prime minister boris johnson is inevitable as it may of seemed is still sending shock waves through britain and fueling uncertainty about its future. the british economy is struggling with soring inflation and troubles linked to brexit. saying it is painful not to finish so many of his ideas and projects. here he is. >> to you, the british public. i know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite

a few who will be disappointed. i want you to know how sad i am to be giving up the best job in the world. but thems the breaks. >> as we have seen at westminster, the herd instinct is powerful, when the herd moves, it moves. my friends in politics no one is remotely indispensable. our brilliant system will produce another leader equally committed to taking the country forward through tough times. >> among those considered possible successors foreign secretary trusk and two from his cabinet. their exits on tuesday marked the beginning of the end of the prime minister's dramatic tenure. another contender. for now johnson remains the caretaker leader as they work on

appointing the next prime minister. for more on this, i am joined by a financial times commentator. joining mow now from london. thank you for being here with us. so, you know, controversy after controversy, scandal after scandal, boris johnson with stood them all. are you surprised in the end he did step down? >> i am, really, he absolutely wanted to hang on to that job more than anything else. the job of his dreams. but in the end more than 50 members of his government actually resigned and refused to work with him. and i think his situation became completely untenable. he lost the confidence both of his party as well as the country because he has been losing elections. the plan who was the great campaigner proved to be, i fear, a

disastrous prime minister. >> does his lack of sense of accountability surprise you at all? >> no, i think he simply does not recognize that he is the problem. this is a man with an extraordinary ego and a very, to be honest, narcissistic personality. leis the center of his own world. i think he, he managed to sort of blame everybody but himself for his problems. and that is really his great tragedy. he is a man of extraordinary abilities but i think his focus is so much on himself and his own world that he really doesn't see it when he is the problem. >> now, his plan to stay on essentially to govern without governing, is that feasible given there are so many still, you know, huge issues for the government to grapple with? >> i think, i mean, the

problems that are accumulating are really difficult. his successor will have a terrible time sorting everything out. having said that, well, we are in a relatively uncharted waters. i think now it is accepted that he will be a sort of caretaker prime minister. it does not suit his character to basically just be sort of a neutral figure. and i think it will be very difficult. not just the economy which is clearly huge, and the war in ukraine requires possibly some really dramatic decisions which could happen during the lifetime of this transition. but equally the brexit situation where the problems in northern ireland and the very difficult negotiations with the european union are very much looming. i think that any transitional government

really has got to try to make the peace rather than have a confrontation with europe at a time like this. >> now, looking to the future. i mean you said about johnson that, you know, quote you here, a man that spent most of his political life dreaming he would be prime minister, now the dream is is over. or is it, what comes next for johnson? >> reporter: well, i don't think he will be be prime minister again, burst too many boats. i suspect he will go back to being the great voice, the great speaker and the great journalist. he will go on the speaker circuit and he will probably make lots of money. many people said why didn't he resign money he will make more money. the poor man has nowhere to go and live when he leaves number 10 downingistry. downing street.

he does not have a house. the wedding party, to celebrate his wedding, he has invited people on the 30th of july to his country residence at checkers and he really did need to still be prime minister to enjoy that. >> all right. >> yes. i guess so. so, now, looking quickly at the party here, as i said earlier, a few people thrown their hats in the ring or they are being tauted to succeed him. because so much of the party revolved around johnson how different will it be with someone else at the helm? >> they are desperate to find somebody that will be steady and clearly honest. two things that johnson was not. that is why the party wobbled so much. on the other hand they almost are certainly going to go for

someone in favor of brexit. it rules out several of the saner candidates who are running like tom tugenhart who just is clearly thrown his hat in the ring. he is a remainer. and, sorry, yes, he wanted to remain in the union, majority of the members ever the party would not back him. it will have to be a brexit er. so many too choose from. >> the twists are far from over. i appreciate your analysis on this. thank you for joining us. >> we will be back with more breaking news after this. stay with us ason on the sleep number 360 smart bed. why choose proven quality sleep from sleep number? because every green thumb, 5k, and all-daday dance party starts the night before.

the sleep number 360 smamart bd senses your movements and automatically adjusts to helelp keep you both comfortable all night and help you get almost 30 minutes more restful sleep per night. sleep number takes care of the science. all you have to do is sleep. and now, the queen sleep number 360 c2 smart bed is only $899. only for a limited time. to learn more, go to sleepnumber.com. i'm jonathan lawson here to tell you about life insurance through the colonial penn program. if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three ps. what are the three ps? the three ps life insurance on a fixed budget are pric price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price?

also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80, what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock so your rate can never go up for any reason. so call now for free information and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours free just for calling. so call now for free information. buried in receipts, invoices and other paperwork that's preventing you from doing what matters most? then get the all new epson rapidreceipt smart

organizer to scan, digitize and organize your documents and receipts. paper goes in and stress goes away. it's the only solution on the market specifically designed to extract and digitize key data trapped on receipts and invoices. and it integrates with financial software like quickbooks and turbotax. transform paper documents like contracts, tax records, warranties, wills, even recipes, into searchable pdfs. so the information is always right at your fingertips, safe and secure. with this exclusive tv offer, you'll get over $300 in added value, including a robust time saving software bundle. plus get free shipping and a money back guarantee. act now and save up to $100 for a limited time. people everywhere love the epson rapidreceipt smart organizer. when tax time rolls around, my clients need me to be ready. this smart organizer allows me to digitize my clients tax documents, invoices and financial records. there's even a mobile rapidreceipt you can use when you're on the go. it's like a secret superpower. i use it to

digitize receipts for my expense reports at my home office and on-site. and back at the main office i use the desktop scanner for large closing documents and client contracts. they go straight to pdfs, so i can get signatures and share digitally. oh, it's wonderful! i can organize important paperwork and even save my kids artwork. so it's safe and secure, easy to share with the whole family. ready mom? yeah, let's go! with this exclusive tv offer, you'll get over $300 in add value. including a robust timesaving software bundle, plus get free shipping and a money back guarantee. act now and save up to $100 for a limited time. go online or call to get an epson rapidreceipt smart organizer delivered right to your door. epson rapidreceipt, visit buyrapidreceipt.com or call. piece of cake baby!

all right, an update on our breaking news out of japan. former prime minister shinzo abe is fighting for his life after being shot hours ago. take a look at this. [speaking in foreign language] . [ sound of gunfire ] >> that video showed the moment when two shots were fired at abe during a speech. the suspect was arrested immediately. public broadcaster nhk says he used a home made gun, japan's current prime minister says abe is hospitalize inside critical condition and receiving emergency treatment. for more on this we are joined by a professor of public policy at

the university of tokyo, speaking to us from the japanese capitol. thank you for being here with us. i want to know off of the top how are people you know, people you speak with, how are they reacting to this? >> this is really shocking. this is something that we don't, it does not happen often in japan. the gun shooting, the political figure, very rare, really shocking. >> i mean in the video we just played we heard the booming sound of those two shots. i mean gunfire is a sound rarely heard in japan, right? >> yes. usually, you know, we do have very, very few gun crime. we only die

- hey honey. - hey dad. that smell is eight million odor-causing bacteria. good thing adding lysol laundry sanitizerr kills 99.9% of bacteria that detergents can't.

clclean is good, sanitized is better. ♪

viewers joining us in the united states and around the world. i'm max foster. i want to get straight to our breaking news. it is friday, july 8, 9:00 a.m. here in london, but 5:00 p.m. in japan where the country is in shock as the former prime minister shinzo abe has been shot and critically wounded. it happened at a dcampaign rall in the city of nara. video posted on social media captured the moment of the shooting. [ speaking foreign language ]

[ gunfire ] >> police arrested the gunman who didn't try to flee, he is vib described as a man in his 40s who used a homemade gun. authorities say abe was shot in the neck, he was air lifted to a hospital. japan's current prime minister says abe is receiving emergency treatment as doctors try to save his life. blake essig is live for us this hour in tokyo. what do we know about his latest condition? >> reporter: just moments ago we learned that former prime minister shinzo abe's brother the current minister of defense came out and has said that his brother is currently receiving a blood transfusion at the hospital there in nara, a western city in japan where the shooting took place, and he called the attack an affront o