Court Sentences Tetsuya Yamagami to Life Imprisonment for Assassination of Former PM Of Japan

Kathmandu. A Japanese court has sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The 2022 incident shocked Japan and the global community. 45-year-old Yamagami had admitted to shooting Abe during an election campaign. Prosecutors argued that the murder was "unprecedented in Japan's post-war history" and had a serious impact on society, leading them to demand life imprisonment.

Yamagami's lawyers had requested a maximum sentence of 20 years. Following the incident, serious questions were raised regarding security arrangements. Tomoaki Onizuka, the police chief of Nara Prefecture, acknowledged "undeniable flaws" in the former Prime Minister's security and committed to a detailed investigation of the event.

Japan is considered one of the safest countries in the world and maintains extremely strict gun laws. However, in 2022, just minutes after beginning a speech at an election rally in Nara city, Abe was shot from behind at close range. 

Although 67-year-old Abe was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, his breathing and heartbeat had already stopped. Despite doctors' efforts, he was declared dead. According to the police, Yamagami calmly gave his statement during the investigation and confessed to attacking Abe.

He stated that he planned the murder due to rumors regarding the former Prime Minister's connection to a certain organization, although the name of that organization has not been made public. Following the court's verdict, a fresh debate has begun in Japan regarding the security of political leaders and the management of public gatherings. AANI