Nara Police To Review Security Following Abe's Shooting
Police in Japan's western prefecture of Nara say they will review the security arrangements for former prime minister Abe Shinzo, after he was shot to death on Friday.
41-year-old suspect Yamagami Tetsuya lives in Nara city and was arrested at the scene after shooting Abe who was speaking to a crowd as part of election campaigning.
At a news conference on Friday evening, Nara prefectural police said they have set up a 90-member task force and will investigate the case as a murder.
Officials said they learned about Abe's visit to Nara on the previous evening but this was still enough time to prepare the necessary security arrangements.
Police said the suspect admitted to shooting Abe and explained that he had a grudge against a certain organization, which he believed the former prime minister was involved with.
Yamagami told police that his mother was deeply involved in the organization and had donated a lot of money, which caused serious problems for his family.
Police quoted the man as saying that he had learned about Abe's visit to Nara City on the internet, and he came to the site by train.
Officials said the handmade gun used to kill Abe measured about 40 centimeters long.
Police said they searched the suspect's residence and seized several handmade metal and wooden guns, which also resembled the one used in the attack.
They also confiscated the suspect's belongings, including a shoulder bag, smartphone and wallet. They believe the attacker carried the gun used in the murder in a navy blue cloth bag measuring 40 centimeters in length.
Police quoted Yamagami as saying that he had served with the Self-Defense Forces for three years until 2005, and he is currently unemployed.