NARA, Japan – Tetsuya Yamagami, the 45-year-old man accused of assassinating Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a brazen daylight attack, formally pleaded guilty this week in a Nara courtroom, more than three years after the July 8, 2022, shooting that stunned the world and exposed deep-seated grievances against a controversial religious organization.
Appearing before the Nara District Court on Tuesday, Yamagami, dressed in a plain black T-shirt and flanked by four security officers, spoke calmly when asked to confirm the charges. “Everything is true,” he stated, admitting to the premeditated murder of Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, who was 67 at the time of his death. The former leader was delivering a campaign speech on a street in Nara, western Japan, when Yamagami approached from behind and fired two shots from a homemade firearm, striking Abe in the neck and back. Abe was airlifted to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries hours later.
The trial, which had faced multiple postponements—including a high-profile cancellation in September 2023 after a suspicious package was discovered near the courthouse—finally commenced amid tight security. Prosecutors have charged Yamagami with murder, violations of the Swords and Firearms Control Law, and related offenses stemming from his construction and use of a handmade gun. While Yamagami accepted full responsibility for the killing, his defense attorney, Hiroshi Kawahigashi, signaled intent to challenge certain secondary charges, particularly those related to the weapon’s illegality under Japan’s stringent arms regulations.
Central to the defense strategy is the argument for extenuating circumstances, rooted in what Yamagami describes as profound “religious abuse” during his childhood. Court documents and pretrial statements reveal that Yamagami harbored intense animosity toward the Unification Church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, a South Korea-based religious movement founded in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon. Members of the group are often referred to as “Moonies” in media reports.
Yamagami’s motive, as outlined in his confession and police interrogations, stemmed from his family’s financial ruin. His mother, a devout follower, allegedly donated approximately 100 million yen—equivalent to roughly $1 million at the time—over several years to the Church, beginning in the early 2000s. These contributions, which Yamagami claimed were coerced through aggressive fundraising tactics, left the family bankrupt and contributed to his father’s suicide in 2005 and his own struggles with unemployment and isolation.
Rather than targeting the Church directly, Yamagami fixated on Abe, whom he believed maintained close ties to the organization. Abe had appeared in video messages for Church-affiliated events, and his grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, had reportedly facilitated the group’s early expansion in Japan during the Cold War era to counter communist influence. The Unification Church has repeatedly denied allegations of financial exploitation or child neglect, insisting that all donations are voluntary expressions of faith.
The assassination triggered a national reckoning. Within weeks, investigative reports uncovered extensive connections between the Church and Japan’s political elite, particularly within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Surveys revealed that nearly half of LDP lawmakers had some form of contact with the group, ranging from event attendance to campaign support. The scandal forced Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to overhaul his cabinet; four ministers resigned in October 2022 after admitting ties to the Church.
Public outrage culminated in legal action against the organization itself. In March 2025, the Tokyo District Court issued a historic dissolution order against the Religious Corporation of the Unification Church in Japan, citing “unprecedented social damage” caused by systematic fundraising practices that targeted vulnerable followers. The ruling, the first of its kind against a major religious group in postwar Japan, allows the government to seize assets and revoke tax-exempt status. The Church has appealed the decision, vowing to continue operations under a restructured framework.
The killing also exposed critical vulnerabilities in Japan’s security apparatus, despite the country’s reputation for having some of the world’s toughest gun laws. Firearm-related homicides average fewer than 10 per year in a nation of 125 million, and political candidates traditionally campaign with minimal protection. A police review committee report released in 2023 faulted officers at the scene for failing to recognize the initial gunshot—mistaking it for a firecracker or equipment malfunction—and for delays in shielding Abe. Video footage showed a 20-second gap between the first and second shots, during which Yamagami calmly reloaded his improvised weapon, fashioned from metal pipes, wood, and commercially available components.
In direct response, Japan’s Diet passed the Firearms and Swords Control Law Amendment in June 2024, further tightening restrictions on homemade weapons. The legislation explicitly criminalizes the online dissemination of firearm manufacturing tutorials, blueprints, or sales information. Violators face up to five years in prison or fines of 500,000 yen (approximately $3,300). The law also mandates enhanced background checks for purchasing materials that could be used in weapon construction, such as certain chemicals and metalworking tools.
Legal experts anticipate that Yamagami’s trial, expected to last several months, will hinge on psychiatric evaluations and the court’s interpretation of motive as a mitigating factor. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, arguing that the attack was meticulously planned over more than a year and constituted an assault on democratic institutions. Yamagami reportedly tested his weapon multiple times in remote areas and researched Abe’s campaign schedule online.
The case has reignited debates over religious freedom, political transparency, and public safety in Japan. Victim impact statements from Abe’s family, including his widow Akie Abe, are scheduled for later sessions. Meanwhile, the LDP has implemented internal reforms, requiring lawmakers to disclose all organizational affiliations.
As Japan grapples with the legacy of its most high-profile political assassination since the 1930s, the trial serves as a somber reminder of how personal vendettas can intersect with broader societal fault lines. With Yamagami’s guilty plea now on record, attention turns to whether the court will view his tragic family history as justification for leniency—or as irrelevant to the calculated nature of the crime.
The proceedings continue next month, with closing arguments expected before year’s end. Whatever the verdict, the echoes of that fateful summer day in Nara will resonate in Japanese politics and public consciousness for decades to come.
