The man who was charged with assassinating former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe has apologised in court for the first time to the Abe family, saying he had “no ill will whatsoever”.
Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, was arrested at the scene of the shooting in July 2022 after he fired at Abe with a homemade gun while the longest serving premier was giving a speech during an election campaign in the western city of Nara.
The assassination shocked Japan, which is known for its strict gun control rules and has very low overall crime rates.
On Thursday, Yamagami appeared for the 14th hearing of the trial at the Nara District Court, and said he felt “deeply sorry” toward Abe’s widow, Akie and other members of the family.
"It is true that I have caused (Abe's family) three and a half years of suffering. As I, too, have lost a close family member, I have no excuse,” Yamagami told the court on Thursday, according to local media.
Abe said he held a grudge against the former prime minister for his support to the Unification Church, which he blamed for their family’s bankruptcy after his mother gave massive donations to the organisation.
Yamagami previously pleaded guilty to killing Abe, saying, “It is true that I did it”.
A lawyer for Yamagami subsequently asked for any punishment to be reduced, saying the handmade gun he used did not fall within the category of handguns defined by Japan's Firearms and Swords Control Act, NHK added.
The alleged role of the Unification Church prompted an investigation into its operations, which began popular in South Korea for organising mass wedding ceremonies.
However, it is being accused by some critics of having a cult-like hierarchical structure, strong control over members, and recruitment practices. It is also under scrutiny for its political influence and financial operations.
“My real target was the Unification Church. Attacking its most prominent supporter wasn’t meaningless, but I didn’t see it as my primary goal,” Yamagami previously told the court.
In March, a court ordered the church to disband, but the church vowed to fight back “to the end”.
Abe’s widow attended the hearing for the first time the on Wednesday and came face-to-face with the killer of her husband. But she was not present on the day he made an apology to the family.
Wearing a dark-coloured jacket and skirt, Akie sat in the second row on the prosecution’s side and heard Yamagami’s statements to the court.
