Life Sentence for Man Who Killed Shinzo Abe

A man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for assassinating Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, bringing an end to a case that shocked the nation and provoked debate about political violence and broader societal issues. Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, was found guilty by a district court in the western city of Nara of several crimes, including murder and violating gun control laws. He admitted in October to shooting Mr. Abe with a homemade gun at an election rally in Nara in 2022, but his lawyers had sought a shorter sentence. Inside the courtroom, Mr. Yamagami looked down and did not visibly react as the sentence was read by a judge. He wore a black turtleneck, chinos and blue sandals. His hair was tied in a bun. The case of Mr. Yamagami, who was unemployed and had briefly served in Japan’s military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, divided Japanese society. Some people expressed sympathy for him because of his difficult childhood; his family faced economic hardships, and his father and brother both died by suicide. Others said he should receive a harsh penalty for killing Mr. Abe, a towering figure in Japanese politics who stepped down in 2020. Mr. Abe, 67, was stumping for a junior politician near a train station in Nara when he was shot in the neck. During the trial, which lasted about two months, Mr. Yamagami said he shot Mr. Abe because he perceived him as supporting the powerful Unification Church, a South Korea-based group with substantial operations in Japan. Mr. Yamagami said the church had bankrupted his family by forcing his mother, a member, to turn over her life savings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.