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Yamagami Links Brother's Suicide to Church Financial Pressure

1/21/2026

23 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Tetsuya Yamagami, defendant in 2022 Shinzo Abe assassination case, testified his brother's 2015 suicide stemmed from church finances.
He said the church pressured followers to donate large sums; lawyers in ongoing cases support the claim.
His mother admitted prioritizing donations over her children's education.
Kishida's government was affected by the scandal, but he was not implicated; Yamagami pleaded guilty and expressed remorse to Abe's family.

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Story summary

Tetsuya Yamagami, defendant in 2022 Shinzo Abe assassination case, testified his brother's 2015 suicide stemmed from church finances.
He said the church pressured followers to donate large sums; lawyers in ongoing cases support the claim.
His mother admitted prioritizing donations over her children's education.
Kishida's government was affected by the scandal, but he was not implicated; Yamagami pleaded guilty and expressed remorse to Abe's family.