Trial of Tetsuya Yamagami

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The trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, the man who killed former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, ended with a life sentence. Abe was shot on July 8, 2022, in Nara, and Yamagami was arrested at the scene. He faced charges of murder and violations of several laws on firearms, weapons, gunpowder, and property damage.

The case was heard at the Nara District Court using Japan’s lay-judge system. The trial began on October 28, 2025. Six lay judges took part, and the chief judge was Shinichi Tanaka. Yamagami did not contest the charges and allowed his lawyers to argue for him.

The defense argued for mercy, saying Yamagami’s family had suffered financially because his mother donated large sums to the Unification Church (UC). They also argued that his homemade weapons did not meet the legal definition of firearms and asked for a fixed term of 20 years. The prosecutors said these family hardships should not affect responsibility and that the crime was highly serious and unprecedented, warranting life imprisonment.

Prosecutors described Yamagami’s motive as resentment toward the UC. They said his mother’s donations ruined the family, and his older brother’s suicide in 2015 deepened his anger toward the church. After watching a video connected to the UC in Abe’s campaign, Yamagami began targeting Abe to send a public message. He had been watching Abe’s schedule during the election campaign.

Evidence shown in court included six homemade firearms, many gunpowder containers, and more than 20 kilograms of gunpowder. Ballistic tests showed the weapon could fire at high speed, with shots capable of killing. Police testified that 12 projectiles were fired in total and that bystanders could have been harmed.

Witnesses included Yamagami’s mother and younger sister, who spoke under protective measures, as well as lawyers and researchers who discussed UC practices. Abe’s widow, Akie Abe, attended as a victim’s representative, and she later spoke about the loss she felt.

On December 4, 2025, Yamagami apologized in court to Abe’s family for the harm he caused. In January 2026, the court delivered its verdict: life imprisonment for Yamagami. Some family members later criticized the ruling as not fully accounting for the wider impact of the incident.