What Religion Had To Do With Shinzo Abe’s Assassination

The shocking assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 8, 2022, wasn’t just a political tragedy—it was deeply rooted in Japan’s complex entanglement with religion, particularly the controversial Unification Church. The shooter, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, didn’t target Abe for his political decisions but because of the former leader’s perceived ties to this religious group.

Yamagami held a deep grudge against the Unification Church (UC), officially known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. His mother had been a devout member since 1998 and had reportedly donated more than 100 million yen (about $700,000) to the group. These donations bankrupted the family, forcing the sale of assets and leaving Yamagami and his siblings in poverty. He blamed the UC for destroying his life—and believed Abe was enabling it.

Abe himself wasn’t a member of the UC, but he had longstanding family connections to it. His grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, supported the UC’s anti-communist activities in the 1960s. Abe also appeared in a 2021 virtual event hosted by UC-affiliated groups, alongside international figures like Donald Trump, which strengthened the perception that he endorsed the organization.

The Unification Church has long drawn controversy in Japan for its aggressive fundraising tactics, alleged coercion, and cult-like reputation. Since 1987, over 35,000 complaints and $900 million in losses have been reported by former followers and families. Yamagami saw Abe as a symbol of the political system that allowed the UC to thrive unchecked, and he took matters into his own hands in a horrifying act of violence.

In the aftermath, public outrage against the UC exploded. Investigations uncovered widespread ties between the group and members of Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), sparking a political crisis. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was forced to reshuffle his cabinet to cut links with the group, and new legislation was introduced to restrict exploitative fundraising by religious organizations.

Surprisingly, some in Japan expressed a degree of sympathy for Yamagami—not for the killing itself, which was universally condemned—but for the suffering he endured under a system that protected predatory religious practices. His case opened a national conversation about the balance between religious freedom and protecting citizens from harm.

In the end, Abe’s assassination revealed a dark undercurrent in Japanese society: the quiet suffering caused by high-control religious groups and their often-ignored connections to political power. It forced Japan to reckon with its laws, its leaders, and the limits of religious liberty.