The fatal link: How the Unification Church ‘triggered’ Shinzo Abe’s assassination

The mother of Tetsuya Yamagami, accused of killing former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, apologized in court last week, saying her son’s actions came from deep resentment toward the Unification Church, according to Kyodo News.

Testimony on religious ties

Yamagami’s trial under Japan’s lay judge system centers on possible leniency. His lawyers argue that years of religious exploitation and family turmoil shaped his mental state and behavior before the shooting.

During courtroom testimony behind a partition, Yamagami’s mother confirmed she is a longtime member of the Unification Church. This controversial South Korea-based religious group, founded in 1954, has been accused of manipulative fundraising and recruitment that instilled fear in followers and harmed families.

Family hardship and financial ruin

Yamagami grew up with an older brother and a younger sister. After their father died by suicide and his brother developed a serious eye illness, Unification Church representatives began visiting the family. His mother joined the group in 1991.

Over the next seven years, she reportedly donated roughly 100 million yen (over $600,000), ultimately driving the family into bankruptcy. At age 24, Yamagami attempted suicide, allegedly believing that his life insurance payout could help his siblings. His brother, who also blamed their mother’s donations for the family’s hardship, died by suicide in 2015.

Motive centered on resentment toward the church

As a result of these experiences, defense attorneys say Yamagami became intent on retaliating against the church, blaming its financial demands for harming his family. Unable to target church leaders, they argue, he redirected his actions toward a politician he believed was tied to the organization.

Investigators say this is why Yamagami told them he targeted Abe: Abe’s grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, played a role in bringing the Unification Church to Japan.

Abe’s killing in 2022

Abe, 67, was fatally shot with a handmade gun during a campaign speech in Nara on July 8, 2022, two days before the House of Councillors election. Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, he remained a major political figure after stepping down in 2020.