THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
June 12, 2023 at 19:02 JST
Court workers and visitors evacuate the Nara District Court building in Nara on June 12 after a suspicious cardboard box was delivered. (Kenta Sujino)
NARA--A suspicious package delivered to the Nara District Court on June 12 forced the cancellation of the first pretrial conference procedure on the murder of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The court temporarily evacuated its workers outside the building around noon after it received the cardboard box held together with adhesive tape.
Tetsuya Yamagami, the 42-year-old defendant, was expected to attend the session scheduled at the court in the afternoon.
The box, which measured about 33 centimeters by about 28 cm and was about 26 cm tall, reacted to a metal detector applied by a court worker, according to police.
Nara prefectural police dispatched its explosive ordnance disposal team to the site.
During a pretrial conference procedure, which is closed to the public, judges, prosecutors and defense counsel discuss points of contention and evidence before the first hearing.
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