Abe Shooting Suspect: "Mother Sold House and Land, Donated About 1 Billion Won to Religious Group"

Mother of Shooter Donates Inherited House and Land as Offering
Donation Amount Reaches 1 Billion Won

Tetsuya Yamagami (41), who shot and killed former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during an election campaign, is being transferred to the prosecution at the Nara Prefecture Western Police Station on the 10th. He stated that he committed the crime because he believed that former Prime Minister Abe was connected to a certain religious organization he resented.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Tetsuya Yamagami (41), who shot and killed former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, stated during police investigation that "my mother sold my grandfather's land at will and poured the money into a religious organization." According to local media, Yamagami's mother was a believer of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (Unification Church), and the total donations amounted to 100 million yen (approximately 945.3 million KRW).

On the 13th (local time), Japan's Yomiuri TV and others reported, citing investigation officials, that Yamagami continues to explain his motive for the crime.

According to the media, Yamagami stated, "My mother sold my grandfather's land at will and poured the money into a religious organization." Earlier, investigation officials revealed that Yamagami's mother, who began believing in the Unification Church around 1998, sold the land inherited in 1999 and the detached house in Narashi where the family lived, and was declared bankrupt by the court in 2002. The value of the sold land and house was about 50 million yen (approximately 472.65 million KRW).

Yamagami appears to have suffered financial hardship due to his mother’s obsession with the Unification Church and harbored resentment, leading to the crime. At the time of his mother’s bankruptcy declaration, the family was living in a rented apartment with a monthly rent of about 70,000 yen, and Yamagami had been complaining to those around him about the economic difficulties caused by his mother’s religious activities.

The reason former Prime Minister Abe became the target of the crime is due to resentment against his maternal grandfather, former Japanese Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi. Yamagami reportedly stated during police investigation, "I thought former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi had ties with a certain religious organization, so I believed former Prime Minister Abe was also connected."

Yamagami also reportedly stated during police investigation, "In 2019, when the Unification Church leader from Korea visited Japan, I tried to attack with a Molotov cocktail but could not enter the event venue, so I could not do it."

Regarding this, the Japanese Unification Church acknowledged that Yamagami’s mother was a believer but claimed there was no coercion for donations. They also did not disclose the specific amount of donations. Tomihiro Tanaka, chairman of the Japanese Unification Church, said at a press conference on the 11th, "Although the mother made large donations, it was according to her own will and there was no quota. We are aware of her bankruptcy, and there is no record of demanding large donations."

Meanwhile, Yamagami’s mother apologized for her son’s crime. According to the Yomiuri newspaper on the 14th, Yamagami’s mother said during police investigation, "I am sorry that my son caused a major incident." However, she did not make any critical remarks related to the Unification Church.