Tokyo: While Saturday marked three months since former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot to death, police and other authorities are continuing investigating the shooting suspect to uncover the full background to the crime.

The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, 42, was arrested on the spot after firing a handmade gun at Abe in the western city of Nara on July 8.

He was later sent to public prosecutors on a charge of murder.

Yamagami has reportedly told investigators that he had a grudge against the controversial religious group known as the Unification Church, and that he thought Abe was linked to the group.

He suggested that his family collapsed after his mother became a follower of the group.

Yamagami is undergoing psychiatric evaluation until Nov. 29 to see whether he has the capacity to take criminal responsibility.

Investigators are now seeking to build not just murder but also other cases against him, such as violations of the swords and firearms control law, the ordnance manufacturing law and the explosives control law.

“Our top priority is to indict the suspect on a murder charge, but of course we are looking at other charges as well, while proceeding with the investigation,” a senior investigator said.

As Abe was giving a stump speech ahead of a House of Councillors election at the time of the attack, Yamagami may be also charged with violating the public office election law.

“We need to investigate whether he intended to interfere with (the election campaign),” another investigator said.

JIJI Press