Prosecutors on Thursday demanded a life sentence for Tetsuya Yamagami, the man on trial for the fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. Yamagami has admitted to the murder, citing his grudge against the Unification Church due to his mother's large donations that led to his family's financial ruin. The ruling is set for January 21.
The trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, a 45-year-old man accused of murdering former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a homemade firearm during an election speech in Nara on July 8, 2022, is underway at the Nara District Court. In closing arguments on Thursday, prosecutors demanded life imprisonment, describing the act as "an unprecedented crime in our country's postwar history" that targeted a prominent former leader. They argued there was "no room for leniency," emphasizing that Yamagami, as an adult, could distinguish right from wrong despite his unfortunate upbringing.
Yamagami has admitted to the shooting, which killed the 67-year-old Abe from blood loss after two shots fired from behind while he was campaigning for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate. His motive stemmed from resentment toward the Unification Church, to which his mother donated 100 million yen ($640,000), leading to the family's bankruptcy. She joined in 1991 following her husband's suicide in 1984; Yamagami attempted suicide in 2005, and his brother took his life in 2015 due to the financial strain.
Initially, Yamagami targeted the church's leader, Han Hak Ja, but shifted to Abe after the pandemic restricted her travel to Japan and because Abe had sent a video message to a church-affiliated event. Prosecutors called this a "leap in logic" and a "blatant disregard for human life." The defense countered by seeking a maximum 20-year term, linking the crime to his tragic background and arguing he should contribute to society in his 60s as a victim of the religious group.
When asked for a closing statement, Yamagami replied, "nothing."
A statement from Abe's widow, Akie, read by her lawyer, expressed shock: "The sudden death of my husband was way too shocking, and my mind went completely blank... I request that the defendant properly atone for his crimes." She did not attend.
The case exposed ties between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Unification Church, prompting a government probe. In March, the Tokyo District Court ordered the church's dissolution, revoking its religious corporation status and tax benefits. A new law now regulates manipulative fundraising, highlighting the plight of "second-generation" followers.
