NARA -- The mother of Tetsuya Yamagami, standing trial over the 2022 fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, apologized for her son's crime, while recounting that she made donations to the Unification Church as she received "a call from God."

"I offer my heartfelt apology for the terrible crime caused by my second son, Tetsuya," the mother said, as she appeared as a witness at the Nara District Court on Nov. 13, during the defense's presentation of evidence which commenced that day in a high-profile lay judge trial.

While Yamagami, 45, is said to have cited his grudge against the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, formerly the Unification Church, as his motive for the crime, it is believed that his mother, who had made massive donations to the church, was the catalyst for that sentiment.

The inquiry began shortly past 4 p.m. A cloth partition was set up between the witness stand and the gallery to prevent Yamagami's mother from being seen from the gallery, though she was apparently visible from the defense table. Yamagami, with a frown on his face and his right elbow on the table, appeared to hold his head.

According to the defense team, the hearing marked the first time Yamagami had seen his mother since the 2022 shooting. Prior to her testimony, she said there was something she wanted to say first, and stated, "Former Prime Minister Abe might be here (in the courtroom) now. I offer my heartfelt apology to the former prime minister, (his wife) Akie, and the people of this country." Speaking in a faint, somewhat quivering voice, she revealed that she still believes in the Unification Church.

According to her, Yamagami's father suffered depression and alcohol addiction, and took his own life when Yamagami was 4 years old. To add to the misfortunes that befell the family, her eldest son, who had a tumor, lost vision in his right eye.

It was around this time that a Unification Church follower visited their home. The follower asked the mother whether her family was doing well, and invited her to visit a facility within three days with a family tree.

"So what did you do?" the defense counsel asked her, to which the mother replied, "I was asked who the foremost ancestor was. As Adam and Eve fell, God's salvation stopped going well."

The true intentions behind her remarks remain unclear, but she had apparently been immersed in the religious group's doctrine from the outset. After becoming a follower in July 1991, she donated some 20 million yen (approx. $129,500 at today's rate) to the group that August, followed by another 30 million yen ($194,000) seven months later.

She initially used her husband's life insurance benefits as a source of her contributions, and purchased paintings and jars at the church's recommendation. She sold off Yamagami's grandfather's company office, as well as her own home, and the amount of her donations eventually reached somewhere around 100 million yen (approx. $647,900).

Why was she so obsessed with donations? The mother told the court that while she was hurt by her husband's suicide and her eldest son's serious illness, she was advised by the church to pray for the repose of her husband's soul. "I thought I received a call from God. As my eldest son's eyeball popped out, I was worried what would happen to his life." The fact that her oldest son started saying, "I want to die," became an additional reason for the donations.

The mother revealed that she traveled to South Korea numerous times to participate in the church's events while leaving her children behind. During that time, Yamagami's grandfather was looking after the children. The mother recounted that he once knelt down and apologized to his grandchildren, saying, "The way I raised her was wrong."

By the time Yamagami was in high school and was considering college education, his family's assets had already run out. The defense counsel asked his mother, "Your family's livelihood would become difficult. Didn't you think about that?" The mother responded in a flat voice, "I'd thought there would be some way out. I'd thought making donations was more important (than the defendant going on to college)."

Yamagami, while looking down, listened to the exchange between the defense counsel and his mother.

She is scheduled to reappear as a witness on Nov. 18.

'I simply wanted him to live on': Akie

Prior to questioning of Yamagami's mother, the prosecution read out a document summarizing the sentiments of Akie Abe, 63, the widow of former Prime Minister Abe. Akie said of her late husband, "I'd thought our time together would last longer. I simply wanted him to live on."

(Japanese original by Ayumu Iwasaki and Mizuki Hayashi, Osaka City News Department, and Yasuhiro Tanabe and Fumika Kiya, Nara Bureau)