Society

Abe murder suspect: mother sold land and donated money to religious group

Jul 12 (NHK) - Investigative sources say the suspect in the murder of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo has told police that his mother sold land without family consent and donated the proceeds to a religious group.

The suspect reportedly has a grudge against the group and is believed to have attacked Abe on the belief that he had close ties to it.

41-year-old Yamagami Tetsuya was arrested at the scene of the shooting in Nara City, western Japan, on Friday. Police have been investigating the case on suspicion of murder.

Yamagami told police that his mother had become an avid follower of the group, the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, and made huge donations to it that ruined the family.

The sources say Yamagami's mother joined the group around 1998. Land register records show that she inherited two properties in Nara City from her father in October that year, and sold them by the following June. She later declared bankruptcy.

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