Tetsuya Yamagami

Who is Tetsuya Yamagami? The man behind the assassination of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. 

According to local media, Tetsuya Yamagami, a 41-year-old citizen of Nara City, has been named by the Japanese Police as the suspect in the shooting of former prime minister Shinzo Abe on Friday. 

Police reportedly apprehended the attacker and recovered a pistol from the site, according to local media. 

According to authorities and reported by Japan’s national broadcaster NHK, the alleged shooter is being arrested at the Nara Nishi police station for interrogation. However, it looks like he constructed the pistol himself.

MORE: Japan’s PM increases the security of Cabinet ministers after the assassination of Shinzo Abe.

The attacker made no effort to flee while being apprehended by police, according to the Indian news agency ANI. 

The person who attacked Abe is said to have spent three years—up until around 2005—working for the Maritime Self Defence Force.

Before Sunday’s elections for Japan’s upper chamber of Parliament, Abe, 67, fell earlier today at 11.30 a.m. (local time) while giving a campaign speech in the western Japanese city of Nara. He was taken to the hospital immediately.

Tetsuya Yamagami shot Shinzo Abe for what reason?

According to the local media, the suspect planned to assassinate Abe because he disagreed with his ideas. 

According to NHK sources, Yamagami allegedly admitted to authorities that he had a vendetta against Abe and had planned to assassinate him. Police have also discovered bombs from Tetsuya Yamagami’s residence.

How was former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe killed?

According to the first media accounts, based on statements from the police, Abe looked to have been shot in the chest, and his condition was characterized as “cardiopulmonary arrest.” 

According to the Kyodo news agency, Abe seemed to have been shot with a shotgun from behind by Japanese police. 

According to police sources cited by Japan’s national broadcaster NHK, Abe was awake. He was alerted while being taken to the hospital after the alleged gunshot.

According to local media, Abe passed out at approximately 11:30 a.m. while promoting a Liberal Democratic Party candidate for the House of Councillors election on Sunday. Witnesses reported hearing what seemed to be two gunshots.

The longest-serving prime minister of Japan, Abe, resigned in 2020, citing health concerns. He served as Japan’s prime minister twice, from 2006 to 2007 and 2012 to 20. Yoshihide Suga and then Fumio Kishida succeeded him.