The man accused of assassinating Japan’s former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has pleaded guilty — more than three years after the shocking killing that stunned Japan and the world.
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Tetsuya Yamagam, 45, admitted in court on Tuesday to shooting Abe during a campaign speech in Nara in July 2022. “Everything is true,” he told the court quietly, confirming his role in the murder of Japan’s longest-serving leader.
Yamagami, dressed in a black T-shirt with his long hair tied back, was escorted into the courtroom by four security officers. When asked to confirm his name, he responded in a barely audible voice.
His lawyers, however, said they would contest parts of the charges, particularly those relating to alleged violations of Japan’s strict firearms laws, since Yamagami had built the weapon himself.
The trial had faced delays, including one in 2023 when a suspicious object discovered in the courthouse led to an evacuation.
A central issue in the case is whether Yamagami’s difficult upbringing and his mother’s extreme devotion to the Unification Church could be considered a mitigating factor. His mother, a longtime member of the controversial religious group, reportedly donated around 100 million yen (about $1 million at the time), leading to the family’s financial ruin.
Yamagami is said to have blamed Abe for supporting the Church, which has long been accused of exploiting followers through aggressive fundraising and manipulation — accusations the group denies.
Following Abe’s death, investigations revealed deep ties between the Unification Church and Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, sparking public outrage and forcing several government ministers to resign.
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Earlier this year, Japan’s Tokyo District Court ordered the dissolution of the Church’s Japanese branch, describing its impact on society as “unprecedented damage.”
Abe’s assassination also exposed vulnerabilities in Japan’s security system and challenged its reputation as one of the safest countries in the world. Gun violence is extremely rare in Japan, and police at the scene reportedly did not recognize the sound of gunfire immediately, delaying their response.
In the aftermath, Japan tightened its gun control laws even further. A new 2024 bill now criminalizes sharing tutorials on how to build guns or posting information about firearm sales online, with offenders facing up to one year in prison or fines.
