January 21, (THEWILL) — A Japanese court has sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami, the man who assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to life imprisonment more than three years after the killing shocked the nation and the world.
The Nara District Court found Yamagami, 45, guilty of murder and violations of firearms laws for shooting Abe during a campaign speech in July 2022.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Judge Shinichi Tanaka described the act as despicable and extremely malicious, stating that the defendant was determined to carry out the attack.
THEWILL reports that the judge noted the defendant shot the former leader from behind when he was least expecting it, adding that the crime warranted the heaviest punishment. The life sentence exceeded what the defense had sought.
Yamagami showed little emotion as the verdict was read. His lawyers said they had not yet decided whether to appeal, noting that Japanese law allows two weeks to file an appeal.
Abe, who was the longest serving prime minister in the history of Japan, was shot dead in broad daylight in the city of Nara with a handmade gun. The assassination sparked nationwide grief and renewed debates over political security.
Prosecutors told the court that the motive for the attack stemmed from anger toward the Unification Church, which Yamagami blamed for the financial ruin of his family.
They argued that he targeted Abe to draw attention to the church because of the past links the former prime minister had to groups associated with it. During the trial, Yamagami admitted to the killing but denied acting out of personal hatred.
His defense maintained that years of hardship caused by large donations his mother made to the church shaped his actions.
While acknowledging that the upbringing of the defendant influenced his personality, Judge Tanaka stressed that the crime was ultimately the result of his own decisions.
The judge said it is undeniable that his upbringing influenced his mindset, but each criminal action taken was based on his own decision making and deserves strong condemnation.
In a statement to Japanese media, Akie Abe, the widow of the late prime minister, said Yamagami should face up to what he has done and pay for the crime of taking the life of her precious husband.
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