According to reports in the local media, the Japanese authorities have determined that the man accused of killing former prime minister Shinzo Abe is competent to stand trial.
Six months after carrying out the grisly public execution of Abe, the accused Tetsuya Yamagami will stand trial. During a rally in the city of Nara, he fired a handmade rifle from behind at the former prime minister.
Although the suspect repeatedly admitted that his purpose was to kill Abe, the case was never able to reach the trial stage due to the lengthy procedures associated with psychiatric assessments meant to determine the suspects’ criminal guilt.
In Japan, such a review is mandatory under the Criminal Procedure Code, which allows psychiatrists to study a suspect to discern whether or not they are mentally stable.
If Yamagami had been found mentally unstable, his punishment would have been automatically reduced.
According to an AFP report, the psych review of Yamagami focused on his relationship with his mother and home environment, primarily because he had a grudge against the Unification Church.
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