Japan Court hands life term to man who killed Former PM Shinzo Abe

A Japanese court on Thursday sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami , the man who assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe , to life imprisonment , bringing a close to one of the country’s most shocking criminal cases in decades.

The Nara District Court confirmed the verdict after Yamagami, 45, pleaded guilty to fatally shooting Abe during an election campaign event in July 2022. Prosecutors had sought a life term, citing the gravity of the crime and its impact on Japanese society.

Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, was delivering a campaign speech in the western city of Nara when he was attacked from behind with a homemade firearm. He later succumbed to his injuries, triggering widespread domestic and international condemnation and raising serious concerns about political security in Japan, a country known for its strict gun laws.

Investigators revealed that Yamagami had targeted Abe over grievances linked to a religious organisation he believed was connected to the former leader. The assassination prompted a sweeping review of security arrangements for political figures and public events across Japan.

Shinzo Abe served two terms as prime minister and was a dominant figure in Japanese politics, credited with reshaping the country’s economic and foreign policies. His killing marked a rare act of gun violence and left a lasting impact on Japan’s political landscape.