Key takeaways:
- Tetsuya Yamagami has been formally charged with murder and firearms charges for the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
- Yamagami underwent a nearly six-month mental evaluation to determine whether he was fit to stand trial.
- The trial is expected to begin in the coming weeks, and Abe was Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, having served from 2006 to 2020.
A suspect in the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been formally charged with murder and firearms charges, a court announced on Friday.
Tetsuya Yamagami was arrested on July 8, 2022, after Abe was shot dead while giving a campaign speech on a street in the city of Nara. Yamagami was detained at the scene and admitted to shooting Abe, according to Nara Nishi police.
Yamagami underwent a nearly six-month mental evaluation to determine whether he was fit to stand trial. Prosecutors said the evaluation showed he was fit to stand trial and have now formally charged him with murder and firearms charges.
The trial is expected to begin in the coming weeks. It is unclear what sentence Yamagami could face if convicted.
Abe was Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, having served from 2006 to 2020. He was widely respected for his efforts to strengthen Japan’s economy and international relations. His death has been met with shock and sadness throughout the country.
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