TOKYO, July 8. /TASS/. Japanese ex-prime minister Shinzo Abe is in the state of "cardiopulmonary arrest" after Friday’s attack, but his death has not been officially confirmed, a spokesperson for the local emergencies service has told TASS.

"Yes, he is in the state of cardiopulmonary arrest, but his death has not been confirmed," said an official with the Nara fire department, which operates as the prefecture’s emergencies service.

The term is widely used to denote clinical death in Japan, where a person can be officially pronounced dead only by a specially authorized doctor.

The attack occurred at approximately 11:50 local time (05:50 Moscow time). According to the NHK television, the attacker was identified as a 41-year-old local resident Tetsuya Yamagami, a former service member of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. He shot Abe in the back twice. The man was immediately detained and is now being questioned by the police. The gunman’s motives are unknown.

A crisis response center was set up by the government of Japan in connection with the attack. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said he was shocked by the incident.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is touring the country as part of his party’s parliamentary campaign, cut short his tour and is urgently returning to Tokyo from the Yamagata prefecture.

All major political parties condemned the attack in official statements.

A proposal to postpone the July 10 elections to the upper chamber of the Japanese parliament is expected to be officially put forward soon.