Shinzo Abe’s murder suspect reveals motivation for his attack

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The man who allegedly shot and killed former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday had a military background, but denied that his motives were related to Shinzo Abe’s political beliefs.

According to police, Tetsuya Yamagami (41) was unemployed and had been working for the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) for three years until 2005.

He was arrested in Nara, Japan, and allegedly shot and killed Prime Minister Abe, who was giving an election speech prior to the July 10 House of Councilors election.

Yamagami was arrested and admitted to killing Prime Minister Abe, who believed he had something to do with the Asahi Shimbun, a religious group that had bankrupted his family. reportQuote the survey material.

“Our life became more difficult after my family joined the religion and donated money to the organization,” Yamagami said by a source.

The suspect told investigators that he initially targeted the leader of the organization, but said it was “difficult” and decided to change the target.

“I aimed at Abe because I believed he was tied up. [to the organization].. I wanted to kill him, “he said. Yamagami also admitted that he tried to make an explosive.

An unnamed source identified in the report as a relative of Yamagami said the suspect’s family had “dismembered” for religious groups and “I’m convinced that Yamagami was damaged by the organization.” Said.

The suspect used a handmade gun 40 cm long and 20 cm high. During a search in Yamagami’s apartment in Nara, police found similar guns, explosives, and cylindrical objects.

After resigning from the MSDF, Mr. Yamagami previously worked as a staff member dispatched to multiple companies. He started working for a manufacturing company in the Kansai region in 2020, but retired in May for health reasons.

Abe’s murder

Prime Minister Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, was giving a speech for the LDP candidate’s campaign prior to the next election when two bullets rang at around 11:30 am.

Prime Minister Abe makes a campaign speech
In the image of this video, Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is giving a campaign speech in Nara, western Japan, just before he was shot dead on July 8, 2022. (Kyodo News via AP)

NHK reporter of public broadcasting at the scene, Said She saw Prime Minister Abe bleeding after hearing what sounded like two consecutive gunshots.

The footage aired from the station captured the moment he fell down the street, after which several guards ran towards him. He was holding his chest.

The 67-year-old former Prime Minister was airlifted to a hospital after the shooting and was later sentenced to death.

Japan Abe shot
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (C) fell to the ground in Nara on July 8, 2022. (Kyodo News via AP)

Police reported that Prime Minister Abe died as a result of blood loss.As a result of his autopsy, Prime Minister Abe was shot twice in his upper left arm and neck, as well as another unexplained neck injury, Kyodo News. report.

Before the death of Prime Minister Abe was announced, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida accused the shooting.

“This attack is a brutal act that took place during the elections, the very foundation of our democracy, and absolutely unforgivable,” he said.

Prime Minister Abe chaired the Japanese Prime Minister and the Liberal Democratic Party from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020.

His latest term was scheduled to end in September 2021, but he resigned in August 2020 due to health concerns. He later shared that his intestinal illness, ulcerative colitis, had recurred.

Mimi Nguyen Ly and Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.

Aldograph Redley

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Aldgra Fredly is a Malaysia-based freelance writer featuring the Epoch Times Asia Pacific News.

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