Tetsuya Yamagami Apologizes to Family of Late Shinzo Abe

Fri Dec 05 2025 09:47:50 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Tetsuya Yamagami, the man responsible for the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, publicly expressed sorrow for his actions during a recent court appearance, specifically addressing Abe's widow.

In a significant court appearance, Tetsuya Yamagami, who admitted to murdering Shinzo Abe, issued an apology to Abe's family, particularly his widow Akie. Yamagami cited deep regret over the suffering he has caused, linking his motivations to allegations against the Unification Church. The assassination of Abe sent shockwaves internationally, given his prominent reputation in Japanese politics.

Tetsuya Yamagami, the man accused of assassinating former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, has apologized to the ex-leader's family for the first time.

During a court appearance, Yamagami expressed feeling deeply sorry towards Abe's widow, Akie. This admission follows his earlier guilty plea to murder.

Yamagami used a homemade firearm to shoot Abe during a political campaign event in Nara on 8 July 2022, resulting in Abe's death that same day. His assassination reverberated worldwide due to Abe's influential position and policies in Japan.

Yamagami stated, I have caused [the family] three and a half years of suffering... I have no excuse. He disclosed that his motive was tied to grievances against the leadership of the Unification Church, claiming misfortunes attributed to their influence over his family.

This incident has drawn substantial scrutiny towards the Unification Church, leading to investigations and a recent court ruling requesting its disbandment, which the organization intends to contest.

In a poignant aspect of the hearing, prosecutors read a statement from Abe's widow, who expressed that the sorrow of losing her husband would never fully subside.