Ex-PM Abe’s Killer Gets Indefinite Term

Nara, Jan. 21 (Jiji Press)–The man who killed former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was given an indefinite prison term on Wednesday for the fatal shooting with a homemade gun in the western Japan city of Nara in 2022. Nara District Court handed down the sentence to Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, as sought by public prosecutors. Yamagami was indicted on murder and other charges after Abe was shot dead in the city of Nara on July 8, 2022, while delivering a stump speech ahead of a House of Councillors election. Presiding Judge Shinichi Tanaka suggested that the motive claimed was irrational, stating, “It cannot be said that his background had a great impact.” During the trial, the defense argued that, given Yamagami’s troubled background related to the controversial religious group Unification Church, with which Abe allegedly had ties, his sentence should be no more than 20 years. The defense also claimed that Yamagami’s homemade weapons were not considered handguns under the firearms and swords control law. But the court rejected this claim, recognizing the homemade guns as “powerful enough to kill or injure a person.” Prior to the ruling, 685 people gathered outside the court to apply for the 31 available gallery seats, according to the court. In its closing argument last December, the prosecution described the crime as “an extremely serious offense unprecedented in Japan’s postwar history.” The prosecution asserted that Yamagami’s upbringing had limited influence on his decision to commit the crime, stating, “Resorting to violence to damage a specific organization is absolutely unacceptable in a country governed by law, and criminal liability should not be reduced.” The defense emphasized that Yamagami felt a “strong sense of crisis and hopelessness” after viewing a video message from Abe to a group linked to the Unification Church. During the three-month trial, which began last October, Yamagami’s mother and sister testified as defense witnesses. Yamagami said in a court hearing that targeting Abe was a “mistake.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]