ANKARA

The assassin of Shinzo Abe tested his weapon before he fatally shot the former Japanese premier, local media reported on Sunday.

Tetsuya Yamagami, the 41 year-old attacker, said he had tested his homemade firearm in a facility in preparation for the attack, the public broadcaster NHK said.

According to the broadcaster, one of the police detectives investigating the incident said that Yamagami initially planned to attack the leader of a religious group but eventually changed his mind to target Abe.

On Friday, Abe was shot during an election campaign speech in the western city of Nara. He succumbed to his injuries hours after.

* Writing by Ahmet Gencturk