Man who admitted killing former Japan PM Shinzo Abe is jailed for life
Man jailed for life for shooting former Japan PM Shinzo Abe dead
- Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, has been sentenced to life in prison for the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.
- Yamagami admitted to shooting Abe in July 2022 during an election campaign appearance in Nara with a homemade gun.
- His motive stemmed from anger towards the Unification Church, which he blamed for his family's financial ruin, and he targeted Abe due to the politician's perceived ties to the organisation.
- The assassination, which stunned Japan due to its strict gun laws, led to widespread scrutiny of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's connections with the Unification Church.
- This scrutiny resulted in an internal party investigation, public distrust, and authorities stripping the church's Japanese branch of its tax-exempt status.