Three years after the shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Tetsuya Yamagami bowed his head and pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial on the 28th.
45-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami killed Shinzo Abe in July 2022 using a homemade firearm while Abe was delivering a speech on the streets of Nara City. He stands accused of murder and violating the Weapons Control Law.
Tetsuya Yamagami told the court: “Everything is correct.”
Nevertheless, Yamagami’s defense attorney indicated that they would contest certain charges, including the alleged violation of the Weapons Control Law by using a homemade weapon.
The Nara District Court will hold a series of hearings on the case and deliver its verdict in January next year.
Shinzo Abe was the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese constitutional history, serving two terms for a total of 8 years and 8 months.
According to reports, the defendant developed resentment towards the Unification Church after his mother donated about 100 million yen (approximately 2.76 million ringgit), which plunged the family into financial difficulty. His animosity towards the church led to his motive for the crime. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was alleged to have close ties with the Unification Church.