The trial of the 2022 assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has now entered the phase where the defense presents evidence. On the local time of November 13, the mother of the suspect, Yamamoto Tetsuya, appeared as a defense witness in court, revealing that since 1991, under continuous persuasion from the "Unification Church," she had gradually donated her late husband's life insurance proceeds, the sale of family business and home to the church, totaling approximately 100 million yen. She admitted in court: "At that time, I thought donations were more important than my son going to college." The defense argues that this long-term financial hardship within the family was a key factor in Yamamoto's motive for the crime.

According to Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK), the trial entered the phase of the defense presenting evidence from November 13. Yamamoto Tetsuya's mother appeared in court as a "defense witness." It is widely believed that her long-term participation in religious activities and large donations led to severe deterioration of the family's financial situation, which is seen as an important cause of Yamamoto Tetsuya's tragic life.

Yamamoto Tetsuya previously stated that his motive for the attack was "resentment toward the World Peace Family Federation (formerly the Unification Church)," and he directly attributed this resentment to his mother.

According to the China Anti-Cult Network, the full name of the "Unification Church" is the "World Christian Unification Spirit Association." In 1999, it was renamed the "World Peace Family Federation." It was founded by Korean Sun Myung Moon (1920-2012) in Busan, South Korea in 1954. Later, the church developed in many countries, including Japan. Due to controversies such as "fraud" and "brainwashing," it was listed as a "cult" in China in 1997.

Regarding this, Yamamoto Tetsuya's mother testified in court, saying, "After the incident, I should have apologized immediately, but I delayed taking action." She then solemnly stated, "Perhaps the former prime minister (Abe) is currently listening to all this, and I would like to sincerely express my condolences and apology to him and his wife, Akie Abe." According to reports, she appeared in court behind a screen prepared by the court, and could not directly look at Yamamoto.

When asked by the defense lawyer about "which religion she currently believes in," Yamamoto Tetsuya's mother replied that she believes in the "Unification Church." According to Asahi Shimbun, upon hearing this answer, Yamamoto briefly looked towards his mother's direction, but due to the barrier between them, he could not see his mother directly. Then, Yamamoto lowered his head again. The court stated that this was the first "face-to-face" meeting between Yamamoto and his mother since the incident.

Suspect Yamamoto Tetsuya listens to his mother's (behind the screen) testimony, Yomiuri Shimbun

Yamamoto Tetsuya's mother recalled that his father committed suicide when Yamamoto was four years old due to depression and alcohol dependence. Her eldest son suffered from a tumor and lost sight in one eye. It was during this most difficult period that members of the "Unification Church" began frequently visiting their home.

She revealed that "the members asked about the ancestors in the house and said it was because humans fell into sin, leading to God's salvation not being completed." This explanation precisely touched on her grief over her husband's death and her pain as a mother. When talking about her conversion to the religion, she recalled that in August 1991, after receiving a female member at home, she donated 20 million yen. Shortly after, in March of the following year, she donated about 30 million yen, and these funds mainly came from her late husband's life insurance. She believed that her eldest son's eye disease and his suicidal tendencies were the main reasons for her large donation.

Additionally, under the persuasion of the group, she purchased paintings, pottery, and other items. The company and home left by her grandfather were sold, and the total amount donated eventually reached approximately 100 million yen.

"Do you not think that life will become increasingly difficult?" the defense lawyer continued to ask, but the mother calmly answered, "I think there must be another way. Anyway, compared to my child (Yamamoto) going to university, donating money was more important."

In fact, this was not the first time she had expressed a similar attitude. According to a special interview by Japan's TBS TV at the end of October, before the trial officially began, Yamamoto Tetsuya's mother expressed deep sorrow for her son's fate, even once thinking, "If only I weren't his mother." However, she believed that the family discord, the long-term illness of her eldest son, the second son's assassination of the former prime minister, and various misfortunes around the world were all due to "humans falling from God." She said, "After hearing this explanation, my heart finally found peace." Regarding why they fell, how they fell, and how to deal with it, she said, "Only God can explain clearly and tell people how to do it."

According to a previous report by Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, the defense requested Yamamoto Tetsuya's mother to appear as a defense witness to show the court that the family's financial difficulties caused by her large donations to the church were a key factor in the case. This defense strategy, which links the family's internal tragedy to the motive for political assassination, is extremely rare in Japanese judicial history, indicating that the "family background of the defendant" has become a focus of attention for the Japanese court, prosecution, defense, and public opinion nationwide.

Chief defense lawyer Masaru Furukawa emphasized in an interview, "We are not excusing the shooting behavior, but we hope society will face the despair endured by victims related to religion."

In July 2022, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot in the chest and neck by Yamamoto Tetsuya from behind while giving a speech in Nara City to support the House of Councillors election. He died of excessive blood loss due to arterial damage after being hospitalized. Yamamoto was arrested at the scene. In October of the same year, former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to investigate the former "Unification Church." However, as the investigation deepened, the organization's connections with the political circle gradually surfaced, triggering the "black gold" scandal of the Liberal Democratic Party, ultimately leading to multiple factions within the party being forced to dissolve in January 2024.

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