Shinzo Abe Assassination: Accused Killer Tetsuya Yamagami Pleads Guilty In Japanese Court

Three years after the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the man accused of the killing, Tetsuya Yamagami, has pleaded guilty in court, marking a pivotal moment in one of Japan's most high-profile criminal cases.

Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, stood accused of murder and violations of arms control laws for allegedly using a handmade weapon to shoot dead Japan's longest-serving leader as he gave a speech in July 2022, AFP reported.

Appearing before the Nara District Court on Tuesday, Yamagami, admitted to charges of murder and violating Japan's strict arms control laws. In a brief but statement, he told the court, “Everything is true,” confirming his role in the fatal shooting that stunned the nation and reverberated across the globe, as per AFP.

Abe was shot on July 8, 2022, while delivering a campaign speech near Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara City. Despite being rushed to the hospital, the former leader was pronounced dead shortly after. The attack, carried out with a homemade firearm, raised serious concerns about political security and gun control in a country known for its low crime rates.

Yamagami had followed Abe to other campaign events including one in Okayama on July 7, apparently in an attempt to find a venue at which an attack would be possible. He arrived at the Nara site of the shooting at least an hour before Abe began speaking, according to NHK.