Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – On the 18th local time, the Nara District Court in Japan held a public hearing for the assassination trial of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The prosecution recommended a life sentence for the defendant, Tetsuya Yamagami.
On the other hand, the defense requested a lighter sentence based on Yamagami's upbringing.
According to reports, the trial proceedings have now concluded, and the court will deliver its verdict on January 21, 2026.
As previously reported, on July 8, 2022, Shinzo Abe was shot while campaigning for a Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) candidate in the House of Councillors in Nara City. He died from his injuries at the age of 67. The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, was arrested at the scene.
According to Yamagami's confession, he targeted Abe because Abe's maternal grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, had helped introduce the "World Peace and Unification Family Federation" (formerly the "Unification Church") to Japan. Yamagami's mother had long donated large sums to the organization, leading to financial hardship for the family. On October 28, 2025, Tetsuya Yamagami pleaded guilty in court to the charges brought by the prosecution, including murder and violations of the Gun and Knife Law.
