The man responsible for the murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been sentenced to life in prison, according to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK. The verdict brings an end to a lengthy and emotionally charged trial over a killing that stunned a nation known for its strict gun laws and extremely low levels of gun violence.
Tetsuya Yamagami, now 45, killed Shinzo Abe in July 2022 while the former prime minister was addressing voters on a street in the western city of Nara. Using a homemade weapon, he carried out the attack openly, in full view of the public, during what was meant to be a routine campaign appearance. Abe, who had stepped down as prime minister in 2020 due to health issues, remained a powerful political figure as Japan’s longest-serving leader.
Yamagami was arrested at the scene and formally charged the following year with murder and illegal weapons offences. Public interest in the trial was high, with hundreds gathering outside the Nara courthouse. Officials were forced to hold a lottery to allocate the limited number of seats available inside.
Abe served two terms as prime minister, from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. He guided Japan through a stable period, updating security policies and passing a 2015 law that expanded the military’s role with the U.S. Internationally, he strengthened ties with Washington, reached out to Beijing, and built Pacific alliances to balance China.
The assassination also revealed long-standing connections between Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Unification Church. Yamagami said he targeted Abe because he believed the former leader was linked to the church, which he blamed for financially ruining his family through large donations made by his mother. A government investigation later found the church had violated regulations, leading a court to order its dissolution in March, a decision the group is now appealing.
Prosecutors described the killing as an unprecedented crime in Japan’s post-war history and pushed for a life sentence, which the court ultimately imposed.The man responsible
