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At Nara Trial, Yamagami Says He Targeted Abe Over Unification Church Ties

His testimony details a failed attempt the day before followed by a perceived security opening that enabled the Nara shooting.

Overview

  • Yamagami testified that he viewed Shinzo Abe as central to the relationship between politics and the Unification Church and said this belief motivated the killing.
  • He said targeting other politicians would have had little meaning compared with attacking Abe.
  • He recounted traveling to Okayama the previous day, abandoning an attack there, then learning from the Liberal Democratic Party website that Abe would appear in Nara.
  • He described moving in from behind as guards shifted their attention, firing two shots at Abe’s upper body while saying his mind was blank.
  • Asked if he had accomplished his goal, he said he could not answer.