The man accused of killing former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a firearm on July 8 will undergo a psychiatric examination to determine his criminal responsibility, Japanese media reported on Saturday.
The suspect, 41, named Tetsuya Yamagami, was arrested shortly after shooting Shinzo Abe twice at a pre-Senate election rally in Nara, western Japan.
On Friday, the Nara district court upheld prosecutors’ request for Yamagami to undergo a psychiatric examination, citing sources close to the investigation, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper and other local media reports on Saturday.
According to media reports, the suspect’s interrogation will be interrupted during this time. In Japan, a suspect can be held in police custody and questioned for up to 23 days without being formally charged.
According to the media, the psychiatric examination will allow prosecutors to determine whether the alleged murderer is criminally responsible for their actions before deciding whether to be charged or not.
It was not possible to reach the prosecutor’s office or the court on Saturday to confirm this information from the press.
According to police, Yamagami said he shot Abe because he believed the former head of government was affiliated with the Unification Church, a South Korean-based religious movement also known as the “Moon sect”.
Yamagami’s mother reportedly made large donations to this religious movement, and her son reportedly attributes the family’s financial difficulties to it. According to the Unification Church, Abe “never” became one of its members or advisors.
source: Noticias
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