World

Japan’s PM Fumio Kishida says ruling party will cut ties with Unification Church

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday August 15 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday August 15 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP) Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, at the Nippon Budokan hall in Tokyo, Monday August 15 2022. (Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool Photo via AP)

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says his ruling party will cut ties with the Unification Church following a widening scandal triggered by former leader Shinzo Abe’s assassination last month.

Widespread cosy ties between members of Mr Kishida’s governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), many of them belonging to Mr Abe’s faction, and the South Korean-born church have surfaced since Mr Abe was fatally shot while giving a campaign speech in July.

The suspect arrested at the scene allegedly told police he killed Mr Abe because of his apparent link to the church. In a letter seen by The Associated Press and social media posts believed to be his, the suspected gunman said he believed his mother’s large donations to the church had ruined his life.

Some Japanese have expressed understanding, even sympathy, as details of the man’s life emerged, creating deep implications for the political party that has governed Japan virtually uninterrupted since World War II.

The Unification Church, which was founded in South Korea in 1954 and came to Japan a decade later, has built close ties with a host of conservative lawmakers on their shared interests of opposing communism.

Since the 1980s, the church has faced accusations of problematic recruiting and religious sales in Japan, which added to criticisms to Mr Kishida’s party for keeping ties despite knowing of legal disputes and other problems.

Mr Kishida shuffled his cabinet earlier in August to purge seven ministers linked to the groups. Among them was Mr Abe’s younger brother Nobuo Kishi, who acknowledged that church followers volunteered on his election campaigns. Dozens of LDP members have since acknowledged their ties to the church and related organisations.

He said at the news conference that he has instructed LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi to survey the party fully and compile compliance measures. Mr Kishida said he is rushing the effort but it may take time because the review will span decades.

Mr Kishida apologised over the loss of public trust in politics because of the scandal and his lack of explanation for hosting a state funeral for Mr Abe, one of most divisive leaders in Japan’s postwar history.

The decision to hold a state funeral on September 27 has split public opinion.

The only other state funeral held in postwar Japan was for former prime minister Shigeru Yoshida, who signed the San Francisco Treaty that restored ties with the Allies and brought about the end of the US occupation.

Mr Kishida’s cabinet last week allocated at least a 250 million yen (£1.5 million) budget to invite about 6,000 guests for the funeral to be held at the Budokan arena in Tokyo.