The man accused of assassinating Japan’s former Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has pleaded guilty, three years after the shocking daylight killing that stunned the nation and the world.
Tetsuya Yamagami, 44, admitted in court on Tuesday to fatally shooting Abe during a campaign speech in the western city of Nara in July 2022. The incident, carried out with a homemade firearm, marked one of Japan’s most tragic acts of political violence in decades.
During the hearing, Yamagami acknowledged firing the shots that killed Abe, saying he acted out of resentment towards a religious group he claimed had financially ruined his family.
The high-profile trial has drawn massive public attention in Japan, where gun violence is extremely rare. Prosecutors are seeking to establish whether Yamagami’s actions were premeditated and deliberate.A verdict is expected later this year.