A Japanese court on Wednesday sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami to life in prison for the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, concluding a case that shocked a country where violent political attacks are exceptionally rare. Public broadcaster NHK reported the verdict from the Nara District Court, more than three years after Abe was fatally shot during a campaign speech in July 2022.
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Yamagami, now 45, admitted in court last October to killing Abe with a homemade firearm, leaving little dispute over guilt. Prosecutors had sought a life sentence, describing the assassination as an “extremely grave incident that is unprecedented in post-war history”. The court ultimately agreed, closing the chapter on one of modern Japan’s most consequential crimes.
Yamagami, the man who killed former Prime Minister Abe, has been sentenced to life imprisonment. pic.twitter.com/6Gtdq8APg4
— おはよ!まいぶらざー (@OhayoMybrother) January 21, 2026
Abe, Japan’s longest-serving leader, was 67 at the time of his death. Though he had stepped down in 2020 for health reasons, he remained a powerful figure within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), helping shape internal politics and leadership decisions. His killing created a political vacuum that contributed to two party leadership contests and a period of churn at the top of government.
The shooting also brought renewed scrutiny to the LDP’s longstanding ties with the Unification Church, an organisation often labelled a cult. Internal inquiries revealed that more than 100 lawmakers had contact with the group, prompting public backlash and denting the LDP’s popularity. Media reports quoted Yamagami as saying he harboured resentment toward the church after his mother’s donation left his family in financial ruin, and that he targeted Abe because of his appearance at a related event.
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Defence lawyers argued the family’s hardship warranted a lesser sentence, seeking a maximum of 20 years, but the court rejected that plea. Abe’s protégé Sanae Takaichi now serves as prime minister, though the party’s once-dominant standing has weakened.