Police in Nara Prefecture, western Japan, have wrapped up their investigation of a man indicted for fatally shooting former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, by submitting papers on additional charges to prosecutors.

Abe was shot to death in Nara City in July 2022 during the Upper House election campaign. Yamagami Tetsuya, a 42-year old resident of the city, was indicted for murder and violating the firearms control law in January. Police have continued their probe into his other possible crimes.

Investigators say they suspect that the day before he shot Abe, he fired at a building in Nara that houses a facility of a religious group widely known as the Unification Church. He told them he had held a grudge against the group because his mother had donated huge sums of money to it.

The investigators also suspect that he illegally produced and possessed six handmade guns at his home.

In addition, they suspect Yamagami violated the public offices election law through the shooting.

On Monday, the police sent papers on such additional charges against Yamagami to the prosecutors' office.

The head of the Nara Prefectural Police, Yasueda Ryo, issued a statement expressing condolences to former Prime Minister Abe. The statement said Nara police will continue to strive together to win back the trust of the public.