Yamagami was described as a "totally normal" and seemingly "earnest" person by at least two people who had interacted with him, Kyodo News also reported.
For the first six months, there were no issues with his attitude toward the job. However, cracks began to emerge, and his gradual neglect of work practices saw him increasingly being cautioned by coworkers. Earlier this year, a transportation firm urged him to observe their standard procedure of using cushioning material to protect the goods being carried, but Yamagami reportedly argued that his way of doing it was “also fine.” The company subsequently submitted a request for his removal from the role.
Long-time staff also criticized his methods, to which Yamagami would sometimes respond confrontationally.
Less than two months later, Yamagami, who previously served for about three years in the Maritime Self-Defense Force, was arrested over the murder of Japan’s longest-serving prime minister.
Speaking to the media, his former colleague could barely conceal his shock and condemned his actions as being against freedom of expression. “There were problems at work over what he did, but never once did it turn into violence. He didn’t seem the type to do something huge like this,” he said.
The dispatch company employee who originally interviewed Yamagami later delivered the news that his job was terminated. The employee described the suspect as someone who “didn’t say much and had a slightly gloomy sense to him but was totally normal,” asking, “why would he do something like this?”