Yamagami Trial: Peril of Romanticizing Terror

Editorial as Yamagami’s trial opens: A fair trial must reveal the full truth without allowing misplaced sympathy for assassin’s heinous act of terror.

Tokyo, 28th October 2025 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article.

Editorial

Face the Reality of a Heinous Act of Terror

First Hearing in Abe Assassination Trial

by the editorial board of Sekai Nippo

See also Social Media, Reporting Cited as Fueling Terror

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Today [28th October] marks the opening of the first session in the lay judge trial of Tetsuya Yamagami (山上徹也), who has been indicted for murder and other charges in the July 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (安倍晋三).

A fair trial is essential – one that uncovers the truth while never losing sight of the fact that this was an act of terrorism.

The Sentence Will Be the Main Point of Contention

The defendant attacked Abe during a campaign speech for the House of Councillors election, using a homemade gun. This was an extremely grave act of terrorism that shook the very foundations of democracy.

However, after the Nara Prefectural Police leaked that Yamagami’s motive stemmed from resentment toward the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church), to which his mother was a member, a wave of sympathy for the defendant began to spread.

According to reports, Yamagami intends to admit to the murder charge, with the trial focusing on his sentencing. His defense team is expected to argue for leniency, claiming that his mother’s large donations to the former Unification Church constituted “religious abuse” of her child. Yet invoking such a notion – far removed from international norms – risks clouding the lay judges’ judgment.

On the other hand, prosecutors are expected to emphasize the malice and premeditation of the crime. The evidence is clear: Yamagami built the homemade firearm himself and researched Abe’s schedule in advance.

Still, the essence of the case lies not only in these details but in the fact that it was a terrorist attack carried out during an election speech, striking at the heart of democracy. Moreover, Yamagami attacked and killed Abe – who was not even his direct target of resentment – in order to stir public criticism of the former Unification Church and to avenge his grudge against the religious organization.

Yamagami has reportedly said that Abe “was not his true enemy.” Yet he allegedly calculated that if he killed the former prime minister – Japan’s longest-serving leader – based on the vague perception that Abe was “close to” the former Unification Church, the media would turn on the religious organization.

Echoes of the 15^th May 1932 Incident

The aftermath of this event recalls the 15^th May Incident of 1932, in which Prime Minister Tsuyoshi Inukai (犬養毅) was assassinated. The naval officers responsible received light sentences after public and press sympathy swelled in their favor, fueling an atmosphere that tolerated political violence.

A similar pattern emerged when Mainichi Shimbun faced public backlash for describing an upcoming feature on the Abe assassination as exploring the “social justification of the incident”.

The social consequences have already been severe: in April 2023, a copycat attack occurred, when then-Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (岸田文雄) was targeted with a homemade explosive device.

The trial over Abe’s assassination should focus squarely on the essence of Yamagami’s actions and bring to light the background behind them.

Lingering Doubts About the ‘Lone Wolf’ Theory

Nara Prefectural Police investigated and the prosecution indicted Yamagami as a lone perpetrator. Yet questions remain.

For example, the findings of Dr. Hidetada Fukushima (福島英賢) of Nara Medical University Hospital – who treated Abe – stated that Abe’s heart had suffered major damage, while the police autopsy results reportedly differed sharply. There are also reports that the fatal bullet has not been located.

These are not mere “conspiracy theories”, but reasonable questions that must be addressed. The court is expected to hear testimony from the medical examiners involved, and satisfactory explanations are essential. Only through that process can the full truth of the incident be brought to light.

See also Social Media, Reporting Cited as Fueling Terror

See also Murder of Abe Was Terrorism ‒ Trial Must Say So

See also Justice Rendered, Questions Remain in Abe Murder

See also Dissolution, System of Faith-Breaking, Lawsuits

See also Cancel Culture, Cultural Hegemony, Universities

Featured image above: The scene of the assassination of Shinzo Abe in front of Yamato-Saidaiji Station in Nara City, Japan. Photo: （撮影）一般社団法人板垣退助先生顕彰会  (アップロード）/ Wikimedia Commons. License: CC ASA 4.0 Int. Cropped

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