Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe’s killer sentenced to life in prison

The killer of Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe was sentenced to life in prison at a court in the city of Nara, Japan on January 21, 2026. The trial revealed details of Tetsuya Yamagami’s motive to kill Abe, including his mother’s blind donations to the Unification Church that bankrupted his family, leading him to believe some “influential politicians” were helping the sect thrive.