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Verdict Looms for Abe's Assassin Amid Church Controversy

1/21/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Tetsuya Yamagami will receive a verdict on January 21 for the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022.
Yamagami used a homemade gun and says his actions stemmed from anger toward the Unification Church due to his mother's donations.
Prosecutors seek life imprisonment.
Yamagami's defense argues for a maximum of 20 years.
Abe's assassination intensified scrutiny of the Liberal Democratic Party's ties to the church and affected its political standing.

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Story summary

Tetsuya Yamagami will receive a verdict on January 21 for the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022.
Yamagami used a homemade gun and says his actions stemmed from anger toward the Unification Church due to his mother's donations.
Prosecutors seek life imprisonment.
Yamagami's defense argues for a maximum of 20 years.
Abe's assassination intensified scrutiny of the Liberal Democratic Party's ties to the church and affected its political standing.