Shinzo Abe

Shinzo Abe was the 17th and longest-serving prime minister of Japan, serving from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. He was assassinated on July 8, 2022, during an election campaign event in Nara, Japan. The killer, Tetsuya Yamagami, a 45-year-old man with ties to a secretive sect, pleaded guilty to the crime and was sentenced to life in prison by a Japanese court in January 2026. This case has sparked public debate and scrutiny of alleged ties between prominent conservative lawmakers and the sect. Abe's assassination has also raised concerns about Japan's handling of gun violence and its response to extremist groups. The recent sentencing of Yamagami has brought closure to Abe's family, but the case remains a significant event in Japanese politics and society.