Slain Ex-PM Abe’s Wife Attends Attacker’s Trial for 1st Time

From Jiji

December 5 2025

NARA – The wife of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, who is charged with murdering Abe, for the first time on Wednesday. 
   The wife, Akie, sat behind prosecutors and listened to the 13th court hearing of the lay judge trial at Nara District Court, using a system for victims’ participation in trials. She did not ask questions herself.
   She entered the courtroom at 1 p.m. wearing a black jacket with a blue ribbon badge, which is a symbol of efforts to rescue Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago.
   After taking the witness stand for questioning at around 3 p.m., Yamagami, 45, bowed deeply to Akie, and she bowed slightly.
   During the hearing, prosecutors asked the defendant about why he changed his target from leaders of the Unification Church, which he reportedly held a grudge against, to the former prime minister.