Suspect Officially Charged , With Murder in Assassination , of Shinzo Abe.br On January 13, Tetsuya Yamagami was charged br with murdering the former prime minister. .br On January 13, Tetsuya Yamagami was charged br with murdering the former prime minister. .br Associated Press reports that the announcement br means Yamagami will stand trial for allegedly br shooting Abe with a homemade pistol in July.br Following an almost six-month br mental evaluation, prosecutors said br that Yamagami was fit to stand trial.br According to the Nara District Court, br Yamagami was also charged br with violating a gun control law.br Police have stated that Yamagami said br he shot Abe because of the former prime br minister's ties to the Unification Church.br Police have stated that Yamagami said br he shot Abe because of the former prime br minister's ties to the Unification Church.br According to Yamagami, he developed a grudge against the br church because his mother had made massive donations br to the organization which had bankrupted his family.br While Japanese law allows for capital br punishment, experts say that Yamagami br is likely to face life in prison if convicted.br We must take very seriously br the heinous act of violence that br resulted in the death of former br Prime Minister Abe, Hirokazu Matsuno, Chief Cabinet Secretary, via Associated Press.br Associated Press reports that Abe's grandfather, br former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, helped the br Unification Church take hold in Japan in the 1960s.br Associated Press reports that Abe's grandfather, br former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, helped the br Unification Church take hold in Japan in the 1960s.br According to AP, the church is known for br pressuring members to make large donationsbr and is widely considered a cult in Japan.