TOKYO – On Wednesday, a Japanese court is set to deliver the sentence for a man who has confessed to assassinating former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. This case has unveiled long-standing connections between Japan’s ruling party and a contentious South Korean religious organization.

Abe, a towering figure in Japanese politics, had returned to his role as a regular lawmaker after stepping down as prime minister. His assassination in 2022 during a campaign event in the western city of Nara sent shockwaves through a nation known for its stringent gun laws.

The accused, 45-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, has admitted to the murder, with his trial commencing in October. The court’s decision on Wednesday will dictate the duration of his imprisonment.

Yamagami stated that his actions were driven by animosity towards a contentious church. He revealed that he was provoked by a video message Abe had sent to an organization linked to the Unification Church. Yamagami’s intention was to target the church, which he deeply resented, and bring attention to its association with Abe.

Yamagami said he killed Abe after seeing a video message the former leader sent to a group affiliated with the Unification Church. He added that his goal was to hurt the church, which he hated, and expose its ties with Abe.

Prosecutors have demanded life imprisonment for Yamagami, while his lawyers have sought a sentence of no more than 20 years, speaking of his troubles as the child of a church adherent.

The revelation of close ties between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the church caused the party to pull back from the church. It also prompted investigations that ended with the church’s Japanese branch being stripped of its tax-exempt religious status and ordered dissolved.

The killing has also led to officials working to increase police protection of dignitaries.

Shooting at a crowded election campaign venue

Abe was shot on July 8, 2022, while giving a speech outside a train station in Nara. In footage captured by television cameras, two gunshots ring out as the politician raises his fist. He collapses holding his chest, his shirt smeared with blood. Officials say Abe died almost instantly.

Yamagami was captured on the spot. He said he initially planned to kill the leader of the Unification Church, but switched targets to Abe because of the difficulty of getting close to the leader.

Yamagami won sympathy from people skeptical of church

Yamagami’s case has also brought attention to the children of Unification Church adherents in Japan, and influenced a law meant to restrict malicious donation solicitations by religious and other groups.

Thousands of people have signed a petition requesting leniency for Yamagami, and others have sent care packages to his relatives and the detention center where he’s being housed.