Shooter in Shinzo Abe Assassination Expresses Apology to Former Prime Ministers Family for the First Time

Tetsuya Yamagami, the suspect in the assassination of Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, expressed "deep remorse" to the Abe family for the first time in court last Thursday, admitting that he had caused the former leader's family suffering for more than three and a half years.

Local media reported that Tetsuya Yamagami, who previously pleaded guilty to murder charges, stated in court on Thursday (4 Dec) that he felt "deep remorse" toward Akie Abe, the wife of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Yamagami is accused of using a homemade gun to shoot former Prime Minister Abe during an election campaign in Nara city on 8 July 2022, causing Abe to die in hospital the same day. His death shocked the world.

According to local media reports, Yamagami told the court, "I have caused suffering (to the family) for three and a half years. I have no excuses."

Previously, Yamagami told investigators that he committed the act because he believed Abe was involved in promoting the Unification Church, which Yamagami claimed caused his mother and family to face bankruptcy.

Yamagami's allegations led to an investigation of the Unification Church, which originated in South Korea and is known for organizing mass wedding ceremonies. In March this year, the Tokyo court ordered the dissolution of the church, which declared it would "fight the case to the end."

The Unification Church had already been controversial on religious and social grounds before Abe's assassination. Reports noted that Nobusuke Kishi, Shinzo Abe's grandfather and also a former Japanese Prime Minister, had close ties to the church due to shared anti-communist views. Shinzo Abe himself had also spoken at events linked to the group.

In last month's trial, prosecutors read a statement from Akie Abe declaring, "The grief from losing my husband will never be eased."

,SourceBBC