Church shocked by information of Abe’s homicide, suspect’s alleged animosity

CNN has not been capable of independently verify which group Yamagami was referring to, or any hyperlinks between Abe and any group that hated the suspect.

However, on Monday the Japan workplace president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, broadly often called the Unification Church, stated Yamagami’s mom was a member, attending its occasions about as soon as a month. She was

But Yamagami himself was by no means a member of the church, its president Tomihiro Tanaka stated in an announcement.

In a press convention afterward Monday, Tanaka stated that he discovered that the suspect’s mom was dealing with monetary difficulties round 2002, however added: “We don’t know what the reasons were or whether they were due to family circumstances.” How it affected

CNN has not been capable of hint Yamagami’s mom for remark, nor to find out whether or not she has authorized illustration, nor to verify whether or not she was affiliated with the church – a bunch identified to be based mostly in South Korea. was established and has gained worldwide fame for its mass weddings, together with at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Tanaka stated he was “confused” by experiences of Yamagami’s alleged “displeasure” in the direction of the church.

Tanaka stated, “There’s a huge distance between our resentment towards the union and the assassination of former Prime Minister Abe. We struggle to understand why this happened. We will do our best to help the police uncover their motives.” “

He also denied that Abe’s grandfather had any role in the expansion of the Unification Church, saying that Kishi “didn’t take any particular measures or exert any explicit affect on the unfold of the faith.”

Tanaka said the church had received a message of support at an event hosted by Abe, but the former prime minister was not a registered church member, nor did he sit on its advisory board, Tanaka said.

The Unification Church, originally known as the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, was founded in 1954 by Moon Sun-myung. It rose to prominence in the late 1950s and early 1960s, an era of turmoil in South Korea. Time was changing from a poor country torn by civil war to one of the most modern economies in the world.

By the 1980s the church had a global reach and is still prominent in parts of Asia today. It continues to make international headlines for its mass weddings, in which thousands of young couples tie the knot at the same time, with some of the bride and groom meeting each other for the first time on their wedding day.

Moon, identified by followers as “Father Moon”, died in 2012 in South Korea at the age of 92.

Details of the murder continue to emerge as Japanese officials investigate the suspect. Yamagami told investigators he had “made up his thoughts” to kill Abe a year ago, according to NHK, citing “investigative sources” on Monday.

According to NHK, Yamagami used a household weapon, which he practiced shooting in the mountains a few days before the murder. Yamagami called the firearms “suited to his purpose of killing Abe with out fail”, according to NHK.

Nara police said on Monday that Yamagami may have conducted a test shooting on Thursday morning, a day before Abe’s murder, against a building of “a sure group” in Nara Prefecture.

CNN visited the building on Monday, where the entrance was clearly marked with a sign that read, “Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.”

The building was covered with a blue tarpaulin and guarded by two police officers, who confirmed it was the site of a “harmful” incident involving gunfire, which is being investigated.

CNN was unable to see gunshots on the facade of the constructing and there was no clear affirmation from police that Yamagami was concerned within the incident below investigation.

On Monday, Nara police investigators instructed CNN that Yamagami is cooperating however has proven no regret.

Asked if the suspect was appearing alone, the police stated they had been investigating all potentialities.

NHK reported that Abe’s funeral was carried out by his widow Aki Abe at a temple in Tokyo on Tuesday, with members of the family and people near the previous prime minister restricted in attendance.