Motives Behind the Assassination of Former Japanese Prime Minister Revealed by the Murderer

Sources familiar with the ongoing investigations regarding the suspect in the assassination of Shinzo Abe have disclosed the motivations behind his crime. The Japanese news agency "Kyodo" reported that Tetsuya Yamagami informed the police about his plan to attack a leader of a religious organization, which he believes was responsible for his mother's bankruptcy due to donations. The sources stated that Yamagami, 41 years old, indicated that he held no grudge against Abe, but emphasized Abe's support for and promotion of the religious group. According to the sources, Yamagami denied that his killing of Abe stemmed from opposition to his political beliefs. Yamagami, now unemployed, worked at a factory in the Kansai region since around the fall of 2020 but resigned in May of this year, according to an employee at the employment agency. The suspect served in the Maritime Self-Defense Force for nearly three years until August 2005.