Abe Shooting Suspect: "I Shot Because I Thought the Religious Group My Mother Joined Was Connected to Abe"

Crime Motive Unrelated to Abe's 'Right-Wing' Political Beliefs
First Target Was Religious Group Leader
Target Changed to Abe After Initial Target Missed

Suspect in the assassination of former Prime Minister Abe being subdued
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News>

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Se-eun] It has been revealed that the shooter who assassinated former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe committed the crime because he believed that the religious group his mother was involved in was connected to former Prime Minister Abe.

According to local media such as the Mainichi Shimbun in Japan, around 11:30 a.m. on the 8th, former Prime Minister Abe, who was campaigning on the street, was shot by the perpetrator and collapsed. He was transported to the hospital in cardiopulmonary arrest but died from excessive bleeding around 5:03 p.m.

The perpetrator, Tetsuya Yamagami (41), stated during police investigation, "I held a grudge against that religious group," explaining that his family life became a mess as his mother became deeply involved in the religious group and made many donations.

It was confirmed that the motive for the crime was unrelated to former Prime Minister Abe’s right-wing political beliefs. He said, "I had complaints against former Prime Minister Abe, but it was not a grudge against his political beliefs."

Yamagami’s initial target was the leader of the religious group. However, when targeting the leader became difficult, he changed his target to former Prime Minister Abe.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Abe being transported to the hospital. Photo by AFP, Yonhap News

He learned from the Liberal Democratic Party’s website that former Prime Minister Abe was scheduled to campaign on the street for the House of Councillors election in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, and took the train to the crime scene.

The police seized homemade guns and explosives owned by Yamagami during searches of the crime scene and his residence. It was confirmed that Yamagami had learned rifle shooting and disassembly and assembly while serving as a fixed-term member of the Maritime Self-Defense Force from 2002 to 2005.

Meanwhile, some have pointed out that the security measures at the campaign site on the day of the incident were insufficient. In fact, despite the presence of security personnel from the Nara Prefectural Police, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, and plainclothes officers, the accident could not be prevented.