In a shocking turn of events, the man responsible for the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been sentenced to life in prison. Tetsuyya Yamagami, 45, pleaded guilty to the murder of Abe during his election campaign speech in the city of Nara in July 2022, an act that sent shockwaves through a country where gun crime is virtually unheard of.
Prosecutors had demanded a life sentence for Yamagami, describing the crime as “unprecedented in post-war history.” The defence team had called for a prison term of no more than 20 years, but the court ultimately decided on the harsher punishment, recognising the gravity of the offence.
Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, was shot from behind with a homemade weapon while making a campaign speech. His violent death in broad daylight on a suburban street sparked outrage and disbelief in a nation where political assassinations are extremely rare.
During the trial, Yamagami revealed that his motivation for the killing was to seek revenge against Abe’s ties to the controversial Unification Church, also known as the “Moonies.” Yamagami blamed the church, of which his mother was a follower, for plunging his family into poverty due to her donations.
The investigation into Abe’s death exposed the extensive links between the Unification Church and a significant number of Japanese politicians, particularly from the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). This revelation sparked public anger and forced the party to distance itself from the organisation, which was later stripped of its tax-exempt status and ordered to dissolve its Japanese branch.
While some members of the public expressed sympathy for Yamagami, citing the damage his mother’s devotion to the church had caused his family, the court ultimately determined that the severity of the crime warranted a life sentence. The case has drawn attention to the plight of other children of Unification Church followers in Japan and led to the introduction of a new law designed to protect people from “malicious” solicitations for money by religious and other groups.
The sentencing of Tetsuyya Yamagami to life in prison brings a sense of closure to a tragic event that shook the foundations of Japanese politics and society. As the nation grapples with the aftermath, the case serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of the influence of religious organisations on the political landscape.
