Japanese paper urges judiciary to look closely at the unanswered questions of Abe assassination and not rely completely on lone-wolf narrative
Tokyo, 17th June 2025 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article.
[Editorial]
Abe Assassination Trial Date Set
A Trial That Avoids the Truth Is a Deception
by the editorial board of Sekai Nippo
prepared by Knut Holdhus
The first public hearing in the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami (山上徹也), who is charged with murder and violation of firearms and sword laws in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (安倍晋三), has been scheduled for 28th October. The court appears to be preparing to try the case as a lone-wolf crime committed solely by Yamagami. But abandoning efforts to uncover the full truth is nothing short of deceptive.
Doubts about the lone-wolf theory
Yamagami was arrested and indicted after he attacked and killed Abe with a homemade gun during a campaign speech on July 8, 2022. Ahead of the citizen jury trial, there have been seven rounds of pre-trial proceedings involving the court, prosecutors, and defense lawyers to narrow down the evidence and issues.
According to reports, there is no dispute between the prosecution and defense over the basic facts of the case. The focus of contention is expected to be on the severity of the sentence, considering the defendant’s background and circumstances. While this may have been anticipated, we are deeply concerned about the judiciary’s stance that refuses to seek the deeper truth behind the incident. Such an approach seriously undermines public trust in the courts as guardians of law and justice.
Yamagami reportedly did not hold a personal grudge against Abe. However, by taking the life of a former prime minister – a figure of significant public importance – he aimed to sway public opinion. What’s more, the attack occurred during an election campaign, a cornerstone of democratic society. The negative impact on society has been immense.
Regarding the firearms violation, one of the legal issues is whether the homemade gun qualifies as a “firearm” under the law, and whether he can be charged with the crime of discharge [firing, causing a weapon to go off] – an offense that carries a potential life sentence. Yet, the very act of building a gun based on online instructions and using it to carry out an attack posed a clear threat to society.
In April 2023, a copycat incident occurred in which an explosive device was thrown at then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (岸田文雄). The gravity of such acts should be the central issue when determining the sentence.
Lone-wolf narrative advanced too early
Soon after the incident, Nara Prefectural Police leaked information that Yamagami targeted Abe due to a grudge against the Unification Church (now called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification), to which his mother belonged, and which had alleged ties to Abe. As a result, the media focused less on the act as a threat of terror to democracy, and more on Yamagami’s personal circumstances and the religious organization’s ties to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Meanwhile, Nara police proceeded quickly with the theory that Yamagami acted alone and built the case accordingly.
However, numerous doubts have been raised about the lone-wolf theory. First, there is a major discrepancy between the account of Dr. Hidetada Fukushima (福島英賢), who treated Abe at Nara Medical University Hospital, and the findings of the subsequent forensic autopsy conducted by Nara police. Dr. Fukushima reported serious heart damage, while the police concluded that Abe died of blood loss from damage to both subclavian arteries.
A committee to uncover the full truth is needed
Furthermore, according to lawmaker Shigeharu Aoyama (青山繁晴), a senior official from the National Police Agency admitted that the fatal bullet was never found. Many other suspicious aspects of the case have surfaced, casting further doubt on the lone-offender narrative. Yet the media tends to dismiss such questions as mere “conspiracy theories” and refrains from deeper investigation.
This in itself is an abnormal situation. After the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, his successor President Johnson established the Warren Commission – led by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court – to investigate the case thoroughly. Similarly, a committee should be formed – within the LDP or, better yet, by the Diet itself – to pursue the full truth behind Abe’s assassination, even at this late stage.
Featured image above: Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe