Suspected shooter of ex-PM Abe to face indictment after end of psychiatric evaluation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:11 JST, January 10, 2023

The suspect in the shooting death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will soon face indictment after completing a nearly six-month period of evaluation to determine his mental fitness to stand trial, according to investigative sources.

The Nara District Public Prosecutors Office intends to indict Tetsuya Yamagami, 42, on charges of murder and other offenses by Friday, six months after he allegedly shot and killed Abe, the sources said.

For the past 5½ months, Yamagami has been undergoing a psychiatric evaluation.

According to sources, the evaluation could not confirm that Yamagami was in a mental state that could affect his criminal liability. As prosecutors determined that there is no problem regarding Yamagami’s competence, he will be indicted upon questioning during the resumption of the detention period.