The court cancelled the pre-trial hearing of the man, who faces an accusation of murdering Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe, on Monday after it received a suspicious object, local media reported.
The report published by public broadcaster NHK and other outlets was not immediately confirmed by Nara District Court. The court stated that the site was evacuated after what looked like an “unidentified bag” was delivered to the court.
Tetsuya Yamagami was due to appear in the court on Monday afternoon for the pre-trial hearing over the broad-daylight assassination of Abe which left the world shocked in July last year.
The 42-year-old man has been charged with murder and violation of arms control laws and is likely to face the death penalty if convicted.
Abe targetted due to ties with Unification Church
The man reportedly targeted Abe because of his ties with the Unification Church, the global sect whose members are called “Moonies” sometimes.
It is believed that Yamagami resented the church because of large donations that were made by his mother which ultimately led to bankruptcy in his family.
Japanese politician and longest-serving prime minister, Abe, was apparently shot with a homemade gun while he was addressing a campaign event on July 8.
The assassination’s circumstances have ignited scrutiny of what was admitted by the authorities as security “shortcomings”, and led to the resignation of Japan’s police chief.
Yamagami, who had gone through a psychiatric assessment in January, was with the navy for three years and his childhood was marred by the suicide of his father and the alleged neglect and devotion to church activities of his mother.
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Yamagami gets people’s support
After the details of his troubled childhood and upbringing came out, it stoked anger in people against the Unification Church and Yamagami garnered huge sympathy, as people displayed their support for him by making donations and running a petition which called for leniency.
Self-styled messiah Sun Myung Moon had found the global religious movement, the Unification Church, in Korea in the 1950s.
In the letter published by media in Japan, Yamagami has accused Abe of extending support to the church and also shared his resentment towards the group.
His mother’s membership was confirmed by the church however it declined to specify the amount of donations she made, which as per reports, stated may have totalled around 100 million yen ($700,000).