Killer of former Japanese PM Abe gets life term

Yamagami, 45, admitted to killing Abe with a homemade gun during a campaign speech in Nara. Prosecutors called the attack “an unprecedented crime in the country’s postwar history” and urged the court to impose a life sentence, which was ultimately granted.

During the trial at the Nara District Court, which uses a lay-judge system, Yamagami’s defense counsel argued that his prison term should be no more than 20 years. They said he was driven by a “tragic” upbringing and claimed he had become a victim of the Unification Church’s financial practices.

Yamagami told the court his family suffered severe financial hardship after his mother donated about 100 million yen, or roughly $633,000, to the religious group. He said he believed Abe was at the center of the church’s political influence in Japan.

Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, remained an influential figure even after resigning in 2020. He was 67 when he was shot.

The trial drew intense public attention. On the first day, 685 people lined up to fill 31 public seats in the courtroom.

The assassination also triggered wider investigations into the Unification Church. Authorities examined the church’s aggressive donation requests, leading to a government probe. The Tokyo District Court later ordered the church’s dissolution and removed its tax-exempt status as a religious corporation.

In response to the controversy, lawmakers passed a new law in December 2022 to regulate manipulative fundraising practices. Public concern grew especially for the so-called “second-generation” children of church members, who said they suffered due to their parents’ donations.

The case also intensified scrutiny of the church’s links to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, with reports suggesting some lawmakers received campaign support from the group.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Osaka Court dismissed request to ban executions by hanging.