Trial Begins for Accused Killer of Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe Amid Political Connections to Unification Church

Oct 28, 2025 09:14 am CST

The trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, accused of assassinating former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a homemade weapon in 2022, begins today. The high-profile case revealed controversial connections between Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Unification Church, which Yamagami blamed for his family's financial ruin. The trial coincides with a meeting between current Prime Minister Takaichi and US President Trump.