Trial of Tetsuya Yamagami

The trial of Tetsuya Yamagami is part of the aftermath of the assassination of Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister of Japan, on 8 July 2022. Tetsuya Yamagami, the sole suspect in the killing, was arrested at the scene after he shot Shinzo Abe with a homemade firearm. Abe was later pronounced dead that day, and Yamagami was charged with murder, violations of the Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law, Weapon Manufacturing Law, Gunpowder Control Law and property damage. His criminal trial began on 28 October 2025 at the Nara District Court.

During the first hearing, Yamagami acknowledged the charges outlined in the indictments. His defense has focused on presenting mitigating factors across all counts. His surviving relatives were called to testify about the family's long-standing mental and financial difficulties, attributing them to his mother's extensive donations to the Unification Church (UC), which had impoverished the household and resulted in neglect of her children. The defense also argued that the homemade firearms constructed by Yamagami did not fall under the legal definition of a firearm as stipulated in the Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law. They demanded a fixed 20-year imprisonment.

Prosecutors maintained that Yamagami's personal background should not influence the verdict. They presented evidence that he had put substantial effort into constructing and testing his weapons, arguing this demonstrated clear premeditation. They also emphasized the danger posed to the public by carrying out the shooting in daylight in a crowded area. Noting that the killing of a former prime minister had no precedent in postwar Japan, prosecutors characterized the case as exceptionally serious and socially consequential. They sought a sentence of life imprisonment for the defendant. Yamagami was sentenced to life in prison on 21 January 2026. Yamagami's defense filed an appeal with the high court on 4 February 2026.