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The suspected killer of Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe admitted targeting the politician and said that he held a grudge against an organization he believed Abe was connected to, police said Friday.

Senior police officers in the western region of Nara, where the murder took place, named the suspect as unemployed 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, who said that he had used a handmade gun.

"That's the suspect's assertion, and we have determined that (the gun) is clearly handmade in appearance, although our analysis is currently ongoing," an officer told reporters.

The former #Japanese PM was shot today as he was giving a speech. He later died in the hospital. The perpetrator was arrested instantly at the crime scene.#ShinzoAbe pic.twitter.com/TCP1EIOypw

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 8, 2022

Police declined to give details of the "particular organization" mentioned by the suspect, saying investigations were ongoing, but several Japanese media outlets described it as a religious group.

Yamagami was pictured at the scene holding a large boxy black object that appeared to have two barrels.

Officers in protective gear began searching the suspect's home after 5 pm and confiscated "several handmade gun-like items."

The suspect, who addressed police in a "matter-of-fact way," told officers he had worked for the Maritime Self-Defense Force - Japan's navy - for three years from 2002, but these details are also under investigation.

The officers said that they were probing whether there were any problems with security at the campaign event where the assassination took place on Friday morning.

"We will take appropriate measures if problems were discovered."