Suspect in Shinzo Abe's killing used handmade gun: Japan police

The suspected killer of Japan's Shinzo Abe has admitted targeting the politician and said he held a grudge against an organisation he believed the former prime minister was connected to, police have said.

Senior police officers in the western region of Nara, where the murder took place on Friday, named the suspect as unemployed 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, who said 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.

Police declined to give details of the "particular organisation" mentioned by the suspect, saying investigations were ongoing.

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 5pm and have confiscated "several handmade gun-like items".

READ MORE: Former Japan PM Abe's death: World leaders react

Probe underway

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

Yamagami also told police he had learned about Abe's visit to Nara online, the officers said.

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

Yamagami, wearing glasses and beige cargo pants, had come "out of nowhere on to the middle of the road", shooting Abe fatally when he was giving a speech, said businessman Makoto Ichikawa, who had been near the train station waiting for his wife.

"The first shot, no one knew what was going on," Ichikawa said.  After the second shot, members of the Security Police tackled Yamagami and pinned him to the ground.

His grey shirt rode up, exposing a black belt with a silver buckle. Like most people in the crowd, he wore a mask.

Doctors later said Abe bled to death from deep wounds to the heart and the right side of his neck, despite receiving more than 100 units of blood in transfusions over four hours.

Ichikawa said he was struck by Yamagami's face as he fired at the former premier. "It was just a normal expression," he said.

READ MORE: Japan's ex-leader Abe's killing stuns nation known for strict gun policies