The man accused of assassinating Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe pleaded guilty to murder on Tuesday, nearly three years after the shocking daylight killing rocked a nation unaccustomed to gun violence. "Everything is true," Tetsuya Yamagami declared in a Nara courtroom at the start of his trial, adding, per the Japan Times, "There is no doubt that I have done all this." Yamagami, 45, appeared in court handcuffed and with a rope around his waist after delays, including a bomb scare that led to a court building evacuation in 2023. More than 700 people had lined up for just 32 seats at Tuesday's hearing, reports CBS News. Yamagami's defense indicated they would challenge an alleged firearms violation, arguing Yamagami's homemade gun shouldn't count as a firearm.
Yamagami is expected to speak publicly about his actions for the first time. Central to the case are claims of "religious abuse" tied to his upbringing. His mother, a devoted member of the Unification Church, reportedly donated about $1 million to the organization, leading the family into financial ruin. "He began to think his whole life was ruined by the church," a defense lawyer said. Prosecutors said Yamagami initially plotted to attack church officials, but ultimately targeted Abe because of the former leader's perceived ties to the sect. The assassination cast a spotlight on the church's influence in Japanese politics, prompting investigations that forced several conservative lawmakers to resign and led to a court order dissolving the church's Japanese branch. The case also led to stricter arms control laws, including penalties for sharing gun-making instructions online.
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