Abe attacker tried to draw attention to church: analysts

It is sad the story behind it all but the bottom line is what he did was wrong. That was not the solution for his problem.

I have heard from members that they are/were told that the Japanese race has a heavier (war) moral responsibility than anyone else, so whereas Korean members are encouraged to support the church, Japanese members are forced to give everything they possess and/or earn. (Just something I heard…)

Michael MachidaJuly 22  06:13 pm JST

Why did you have to attack anyone? This was his family issue. Not ours.

If a cult group scams thousands of people then this is not a single family issue but our issue as a society, or government issue. Same as Ponzi schemes for example, that’s why they are legally regulated and prohibited.

I also do sympathize with Yamagami, as a human being I think you can’t not feel sorry for him for what he went through in his life. And his isolation is not only his or his family problem. It’s a social issue, especially evident in Japan.

The Unification Church has been directly involved in many things much more serious than forcing people to 'buy expensive pots and seals'. I mean, even if we only keep it to Japan rather than the rest of the world, it has been implicated in aggressively extorting money and assets from its followers.

The donation of money is not limited only to the Moonies, all the other Japanese Sects and religious groups are doing same may be less aggressively. There is that religious group with properties in prime positions all over the country, where do you think the money comes from for those properties ? it is from donations and sales of expensive temples some costing 7 million yen and average salary men are forced to buy them and pay in installments, I won't be surprised that some of the land on which some properties are sitting are donations, how about the sale of names for millions when one dies. I am afraid the media will concentrate on the unification church since it is foreign and ignore the Japanese religious groups.

Lamilly,

It wasn't the mother's own money. It belonged to the family. Ojisan's company and land sold and donated. Then there was no money for him to get to the university.

If it were me, I would take similar measure even though I wouldn't kill.

There are certainly over 10 million people on SSRI, SNRI right now in Japan. Thanks god they do not all become aggressive!

Serious question, how many SSRI was he on?

BS he wanted to draw attention to himself. Just another psychopath wanting attention.

It appears that Yamagami was torn between love and hate. Looking for love and affection from his mother but that affection he felt he was not getting went to the church so he hated the church just as much as he loved her so he turned the hatred toward Abe.

He is an adult loser, made no gains or accomplishments, and in his 40s blaming something that happened when he was still a teenager.

I'm wondering if he is on the spectrum. This was an entirely unreasonable response to his anger, that people acting within the rules of society would not take, beyond in a fantasy.

The only sympathy I will have is after Tetsuya falls through a trapdoor with a rope around his neck, I will feel bad for the rope being wasted on a domestic terrorist who blames everyone but himself.

He is an adult loser, made no gains or accomplishments, and in his 40s blaming something that happened when he was still a teenager.

The Unification Church, founded in South Korea in 1954 and known for its group weddings, has a controversial reputation in Japan, where it claims to have about 600,000 followers.

It has in the past been the subject of a series of complaints claiming the church forced people to buy expensive pots and seals.

This is extremely poor reporting from Kyodo.

The Unification Church has been directly involved in many things much more serious than forcing people to 'buy expensive pots and seals'. I mean, even if we only keep it to Japan rather than the rest of the world, it has been implicated in aggressively extorting money and assets from its followers.

It will continue to be 'known for its group weddings' as long as journalists in the mass media keep writing this, and ignoring the long list of scandalous acts the UC has absolutely been involved in all around the world over the last 50+ years (coups, genocide, arms trafficking, arming militia groups etc.).

Blue

said the unpleasant truths we are dodging. With details too. Thanks bro.

Yamagami has told investigators that his mother's donations to the church financially ruined his family,

Finally Yamagami's mother sincerely apologised .... to the Unification Church (!!) over the troubles his son caused. She should also be brought to a psychiatrist.

安倍元首相銃撃 容疑者母“旧統一教会に迷惑かけ申し訳ない”

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/kansai-news/20220722/2000064099.html

psychology experts believe the suspect tried to highlight issues surrounding a religious group

You know what you're doing? You're trying to justify his action by finding "valid" reasons.

Stop this! He is a murderer and there's no justification to whatever he did!

Like him or not agree with his action or not, this man risked a lot for what appears to be a major scandal that we may at some point start to comprehend.

SpitfireToday  05:09 pm JST

I am finding as time goes by and the information leaks out that more and more salt-of-the-Earth Japanese are identifying with Yamagami and even sympathising with him.After the startling death of Abe everyone was in confusion but as the dust settles the real emotions are coming out.

I disagree. Nobody I know is sympathizing with Yamagami as far as the assasination of Abe goes. But more and more people are sympathizing with his motive, and suffering at the hands of the Unification Church. The two are not mutually exclusive and should not be confused as such.

Murder is bad. So is the cult Unification Church.

Why did you have to attack anyone? This was his family issue. Not ours.

Hideo Okamoto, criminal psychology professor at Nara Women's University, said Yamagami wanted someone to sympathize with him but found no one to discuss his problems, and that may have deepened his isolation.

Then Japan has failed him and the first one to bear responsibility is Abe-san.

That's a really long shot or wild association...

Yamagami could have done something else to address his problem with the UC. He's terribly wrong about the course of action, and guilty of what was done.

I wouldn't go as far as supporting what he did but I do have a certain amount of sympathy and understanding for him. The so called church shares much of the blame for this incident.

Hideo Okamoto, criminal psychology professor at Nara Women's University, said Yamagami wanted someone to sympathize with him but found no one to discuss his problems, and that may have deepened his isolation.

Then Japan has failed him and the first one to bear responsibility is Abe-san.

This is the consequence of what is said from that professor.

In despair, desperate actions. It is not a desire because it brough him no pleasure.

Of course Unification Church is a cult. Like many religions.

I am finding as time goes by and the information leaks out that more and more salt-of-the-Earth Japanese are identifying with Yamagami and even sympathising with him.After the startling death of Abe everyone was in confusion but as the dust settles the real emotions are coming out.