Suspect Officially Charged , With Murder in Assassination , of Shinzo Abe.<br />On January 13, Tetsuya Yamagami was charged <br />with murdering the former prime minister. .<br />On January 13, Tetsuya Yamagami was charged <br />with murdering the former prime minister. .<br />Associated Press reports that the announcement <br />means Yamagami will stand trial for allegedly <br />shooting Abe with a homemade pistol in July.<br />Following an almost six-month <br />mental evaluation, prosecutors said <br />that Yamagami was fit to stand trial.<br />According to the Nara District Court, <br />Yamagami was also charged <br />with violating a gun control law.<br />Police have stated that Yamagami said <br />he shot Abe because of the former prime <br />minister's ties to the Unification Church.<br />Police have stated that Yamagami said <br />he shot Abe because of the former prime <br />minister's ties to the Unification Church.<br />According to Yamagami, he developed a grudge against the <br />church because his mother had made massive donations <br />to the organization which had bankrupted his family.<br />While Japanese law allows for capital <br />punishment, experts say that Yamagami <br />is likely to face life in prison if convicted.<br />We must take very seriously <br />the heinous act of violence that <br />resulted in the death of former <br />Prime Minister Abe, Hirokazu Matsuno, Chief Cabinet Secretary, via Associated Press.<br />Associated Press reports that Abe's grandfather, <br />former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, helped the <br />Unification Church take hold in Japan in the 1960s.<br />Associated Press reports that Abe's grandfather, <br />former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, helped the <br />Unification Church take hold in Japan in the 1960s.<br />According to AP, the church is known for <br />pressuring members to make large donations<br />and is widely considered a cult in Japan.
