Man Who Assassinated Former Japan Leader Abe Sentenced to Life in Prison
Tetsuya Yamagami, the man who assassinated former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. The Nara District Court handed down the sentence, aligning with the prosecutors' demand.
The Assassination
Shinzo Abe was shot on July 8, 2022, while giving a campaign speech in Nara. Yamagami used a homemade gun to fatally wound Abe. Abe was transported to Nara Medical University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Shooter
Tetsuya Yamagami, 45 years old, admitted to murdering Abe. At the onset of his trial in October 2025, Yamagami pleaded guilty to murder, firearms control law violations, production of gunpowder, and property damage.
Yamagami stated that his motive was a grudge against the Unification Church, stemming from his mother's large donations that led to the family's financial ruin. He believed Abe had ties to the organization.
Legal Proceedings
Yamagami's trial began in late October 2025. He underwent a psychiatric evaluation to determine his mental competency. Prosecutors sought a life sentence, describing the assassination as an unprecedented crime in Japan's post-war history. Yamagami's defense requested a lighter sentence, arguing his difficult upbringing as a child of a Unification Church adherent should be considered. Yamagami apologized to Abe's widow, Akie Abe, during the trial.
Impact
Abe's assassination led to increased scrutiny of the relationship between the Unification Church and Japan's governing party. It also prompted a government probe into the Unification Church's solicitation of donations. This led to the church's Japanese branch being stripped of its tax-exempt religious status and ordered dissolved. The assassination also led to increased security for dignitaries.
Conclusion
Tetsuya Yamagami was sentenced to life in prison for the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Yamagami admitted to the crime, citing a grudge against the Unification Church as his motive. The assassination prompted scrutiny of ties between the Unification Church and Japanese politicians and led to increased security measures for public figures.
