“There is a big distance between having resentment toward our association and killing former Prime Minister Abe,” Tomihiro Tanaka, the Japan workplace chairman of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, instructed a information convention Monday.
“We struggle to understand why this happened. We will cooperate fully with the police to reveal his motive,” he added.
Abe’s grandfather Nobusuke Kishi, who served as Prime Minister from 1957 to 1960, was focused for assassination within the closing yr of his premiership, although he survived after being stabbed six occasions.
“I had a grudge against a particular religious group, and I thought that former Prime Minister Abe had a close relationship with this group,” Yamagami reportedly stated. “My mother got into a group and made a large donation and my family life was messed up.”
CNN has not been in a position to independently affirm what group Yamagami was referring to, or any hyperlinks between Abe and any group the suspect harbored hatred in direction of.
However, on Monday, the Japan workplace chairman of the Unification Church stated Yamagami’s mom had been a member who attended its occasions about as soon as a month.
But Yamagami himself was by no means a member of the church, Tanaka stated in an announcement.
In a information convention later Monday, Tanaka stated he had realized the suspect’s mom was having monetary difficulties round 2002, however added: “We don’t know what the causes were or how they affected the family circumstances.”
CNN has not been in a position to find Yamagami’s mom for remark, nor decide whether or not she has authorized illustration, nor to verify whether or not she was affiliated with the church — a gaggle that was based in South Korea and gained fame worldwide for its mass weddings, together with in New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Tanaka additionally denied that Abe’s grandfather had any position in increasing the Unification Church, saying Kishi didn’t take “any special measures or have any special influence on the spread of the religion at all.”
The church had obtained a message of assist from Abe at an occasion it organized, however the former Prime Minister was not a registered church member, nor did he sit on its advisory board, Tanaka stated.
What is the Unification Church?
The Unification Church, initially often called the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, was based by Moon Sun-myung in 1954. It rose to prominence within the late Fifties and early Nineteen Sixties, an period of upheaval in South Korea, which on the time was reworking from a poor nation torn aside by civil warfare to 1 of the world’s most fashionable economies.
By the Eighties the church had a world attain and it stays outstanding in elements of Asia at present. It continues to make worldwide headlines for its mass weddings, by which 1000’s of younger {couples} tie the knot on the similar time, with some brides and grooms assembly one another for the primary time on their wedding ceremony day.
Moon, identified by followers as “Father Moon,” died in South Korea in 2012 on the age of 92.
Who is Tetsuya Yamagami?
Details of the killing proceed to emerge as Japanese authorities examine the suspect Tetsuya Yamagami.
Yamagami instructed investigators he had “made up his mind” to kill Abe a yr in the past, in keeping with NHK, citing “investigative sources” on Monday.
Yamagami had used a selfmade weapon, which he practiced taking pictures within the mountains days earlier than the killing, in keeping with NHK. The firearms “suited his goal of killing Abe without fail,” Yamagami stated, in keeping with NHK.
Nara police stated Monday that Yamagami might have carried out a check taking pictures within the early hours of Thursday morning, a day earlier than Abe’s assassination, in opposition to the constructing of “a certain group” in Nara prefecture.
CNN visited the constructing on Monday, the place the doorway was clearly marked with an indication that learn, “Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.”
The constructing was coated by blue tarpaulin and guarded by two law enforcement officials, who confirmed it had been the positioning of a “dangerous” incident involving gunshots, which is underneath investigation.
CNN was unable to view the gunshot marks on the constructing’s facade and didn’t obtain express affirmation from police on website that Yamagami was concerned within the incident underneath investigation.
On Monday, Nara police investigators instructed CNN that Yamagami is being cooperative however has not proven any regret.
Asked whether or not the suspect was working alone, police stated they’re investigating all prospects.
Abe’s funeral was hosted by his widow Akie Abe at a temple in Tokyo on Tuesday, with attendance restricted to members of the family and individuals who have been near the previous prime minister.
