The psychiatrists in charge of examining the confessed perpetrator of the murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Tetsuya Yamagami, said Tuesday that the man was of «sound mind» at the time he committed the crime.
Experts have been evaluating his case since last summer after he was arrested for opening fire on Abe during a rally in the city of Nara, which resulted in the death of the former Japanese leader in a case that has shocked the country.
The self-confessed assassin has insisted that he had motives to kill Abe after stressing that «he was sure of his strong ties with the religious organization Unification Church», which Yamagami accuses of having bankrupted his family.
Now, following the psychiatric team’s findings, he has been transferred from a medical facility to Nara prison, as reported by the Kiodo news agency.
Yamagami — who accused Abe of having favored the establishment of the religious group in Japan — had sent a letter shortly before the attack in which he warned of his intentions. The letter showed the 41-year-old’s strong resentment towards the Unification Church.
Investigators have indicated that, according to family sources, his mother had donated more than 700,000 euros to the Unification Church during her lifetime. These donations included 60 million yen (about 429,000 euros) from Yamagami’s father’s inheritance.
In addition, the woman reportedly gave to the church the proceeds from the sale of the family’s real estate and assets. She then continued to donate small amounts until she ran out of money in 2002.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
