The suspect who allegedly shot Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the police here that he had a grudge against a specific organization, and that he thought Abe had a link to that group, a police official told a news conference on Friday.
The suspect, now detained for attempted murder, is identified as Tetsuya Yamagami. He is 41 years old.
The police official said that Yamagami admitted to the shooting, which took place in broad daylight Friday while Abe was giving a speech on a crowded street in the central Japanese city of Nara.
Police had confirmed that the gun used in the shooting was handmade, and that the length of the weapon was about 40 cm. The Nara police obtained several other objects that are thought to be handmade guns when they investigated the suspect’s residence.
Yamagami learned about Abe’s whereabouts on a website showing the former Japanese prime minister’s schedule for campaign speeches, according to the police.
The suspect also told them that the motive did not come from a grudge against Abe’s political beliefs, police said.
Source : Nikkei
