Abe killer Yamagami sentenced to life in prison; judge calls act despicable
Abe killer Yamagami sentenced to life in prison; judge calls act despicable
The killer of former prime minister Shinzo Abe is sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty; the court calls the act despicable and extremely malicious.
A district court in Nara sentenced 45-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami to life in prison for the 2022 assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Yamagami had pleaded guilty to murder at the trial's opening last year, confirming he fired at Abe at a political rally in Nara.
Prosecutors had sought life imprisonment, saying the murder was unprecedented in postwar Japan and had grave consequences for society. The defense asked for leniency, arguing Yamagami was a victim of religious abuse tied to the Unification Church, whose fundraising practices bankrupted his family and shaped his grudge against Abe because of his ties to the church.
Judge Shinichi Tanaka described the act as despicable and extremely malicious, noting that Yamagami shot Abe from behind when the former leader was least expecting danger.
Outside the courtroom, nearly 700 people queued to attend the hearing, underscoring the case's emotional impact on the nation and its ongoing scrutiny of the Unification Church and its links to politics. The case already spurred investigations and cabinet resignations as authorities looked into wider concerns about the church's influence.
The verdict closes a controversial chapter in Japan's postwar history and raises questions about how justice should respond to violence, religious influence, and political connections.
