A Japanese court sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami to life in prison for killing former prime minister Shinzo Abe. The 45-year-old admitted shooting Abe in July 2022 during an election speech in Nara. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving PM, was shot from behind with a homemade weapon and died from his injuries. The attack shocked Japan, a country where gun crime is very rare. Prosecutors called the crime “unprecedented in postwar history” and sought a life sentence, not death. Yamagami’s defense wanted a sentence under 20 years. Yamagami said he killed Abe to expose the prime minister's ties to the Unification Church. His mother, a follower, had given over $1 million to the group, causing family bankruptcy. Abe and many politicians had links to this controversial religious group, known as the Moonies. Prosecutors said Yamagami aimed to attract public criticism of the church by targeting Abe. The church’s influence on Japanese politics goes back decades, including Abe’s grandfather. The scandal forced the governing Liberal Democratic Party to distance itself from the church. The church in Japan lost its tax-exempt status and was ordered to close. Many people showed sympathy for Yamagami, given his family’s pain. He faced mental health struggles, lost education chances, and had family suicides. His case led to new laws protecting people from aggressive religious solicitations. Thousands signed petitions asking for leniency. Yamagami pleaded guilty from the start and was caught seconds after the shooting by Abe’s security team.