Yamagami Admits to Shinzo Abe Assassination as Jury Trial Opens

このページを日本語で読む

The jury trial of 45-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, accused of assassinating former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, opened on October 28 at the Nara District Court. He faces charges of murder and several other related offenses.

The hearing began at approximately 2:00 PM, when the defendant appeared in court wearing a black sweatshirt and pants. His long hair was tied back.

At the plea hearing, Yamagami admitted to the charges, saying, "All of it is true. There's no doubt I did it."

Defense Contest Gun Charge

According to the indictment, Yamagami shot and killed Former Prime Minister Abe with a homemade pipe gun on July 8, 2022, while he was delivering a campaign speech during the Upper House election in Nara City.

In addition to murder, Yamagami faces four other charges. They include violations of the Firearms and Swords Control Law, the Ordnance Manufacturing Law, the Explosives Control Law, and causing property damage.

*Tetsuya Yamagami is taken into custody shortly after the assassination of former PM Shinzo Abe. (©Sankei by Yuta Yasumoto)*

While the defense acknowledged the murder charge, it sought acquittal on the Firearms and Swords Control Law violation, contending that homemade guns fall outside the law's scope.

They further stated that to ensure a proportionate judgment, mitigating circumstances should be considered, even for charges on which Yamagami may be found guilty.

Religious Grievance as Motive

During the investigation, the defendant reportedly claimed his mother's substantial donations to the former Unification Church (now the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification) had devastated his family's finances.

Yamagami is said to have told authorities he "held a grudge against the religion and targeted Abe, who had ties to the group." He cited Abe's previous video messages to an organization allegedly associated with the Unification Church.

The defense is expected to argue that the defendant acted out of personal vengeance linked to his mother's religious conversion, not as part of political terrorism. Yamagami's mother and other witnesses will likely testify in court in the coming proceedings.

The former prime minister was not a member of the church.

*Tetsuya Yamagami admits to murder charges at his first trial at the Nara District Court. (Illustration by Takashi Yamakawa)*

Prosecution Counters Defense Claims

Meanwhile, in its opening statement, the prosecution explained that Yamagami had initially built the gun to target the leader of the former Unification Church.

Yet after losing his job, the defendant chose Abe as a target instead and decided to act while he still had some financial leeway to do so.

"Mr Abe had no involvement whatsoever in his mother's devotion to the former Unification Church," the prosecution argued in the courtroom. "The defendant was aware of this fact, yet plotted the murder solely to heighten criticism of the former Unification Church."

While noting the religious group's influence on Yamagami's upbringing, prosecutors are expected to prove that the killing was heinous, deliberate, and dangerous, and to scrutinize his mental state at the time of the killing.

The trial will run for up to 19 sessions, with the defendant's questioning taking place over five hearings between November 20 and December 4.

Closing arguments are scheduled for December 18. The verdict is expected to be delivered on January 21, 2026.

Author: The Sankei Shimbun and JAPAN Forward

このページを日本語で読む