The man accused of shooting dead former Japanese prime minister Shinto Abe has pleaded guilty on the opening day of his trial.

Tetsuya Yamagami's trial in Tokyo is expected to run until next January, the BBC reports.

The court heard from the 45-year-old that "everything is true", when he pleaded guilty to murder, according to local media.

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Yamagami was arrested immediately after allegedly shooting 67-year-old Abe with a homemade gun as the former leader was making a campaign speech in July 2022 outside a train station in Nara in western Japan.

He has denied charges over breaching weapons control laws, with his lawyer telling the court Yamagami's homemade gun does come under the legislation.

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