Yamagami's tragic upbringing, marked by religious abuse and family devastation caused by the Unification Church, created circumstances demanding judicial consideration. His mother's ruinous donations bankrupted the family, forcing him to abandon education and ultimately leading to his brother's suicide and his own suicide attempt. The assassination exposed corrupt ties between the church and ruling party politicians, vindicating his desperate attempt to draw attention to institutional wrongdoing.

Yamagami's assassination, regardless of motive, represents a catastrophic failure of democratic discourse. His resort to murder to address grievances — however legitimate — undermines the rule of law and sets a dangerous precedent that political violence can achieve results. The extensive media attention and policy changes following the killing risk incentivizing future extremists who believe their causes justify deadly force, threatening Japan's peaceful democratic tradition.