Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, down sharply in the polls, has been forced to reshuffle his government since the revelation of links between the Unification Church, better known as “ moon sect and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. These links emerged after the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 8. His assassin reproached him for his association with the Moon sect, which he accused of having caused the ruin of his family.
With our correspondent in Tokyo, Frederic Charles
Fumio Kishida withdrew from the government and his Liberal Democratic Party, the most senior ministers and officials most openly linked to the Unification Church or Moon sect. It’s a sweeping operation. The Kishida government is at its lowest level of popularity since taking office in October 2021, at 46% compared to 59% three weeks ago.
Shinzo Abe’s brother, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi loses his job. In poor health, he confessed that members of the Moon sect had served as volunteers for his election campaigns. Prime Minister Kishida, who swears he has no connection with the Unification Church, keeps the main ministers of finance, foreign affairs and the economy in their posts.
A cult that has infiltrated Japanese politics
The majority of Japanese are asking for explanations about the relationship between the political class and the Moon sect. They are against the organization of a state funeral for Shinzo Abe. The head of government replies that his ministers will have to “carefully examine” their links with the Unification Church. In other words, breaking them: it is a necessary condition “, he adds.
Since its founding in 1954 in South Korea by the “ reverend » Sun Myung Moon, the problem is that the Moon sect has infiltrated almost every political world in Japan, with the exception of the communists who are doomed to loathing. Another more powerful religious organization, Soka Gakkai, is part of the ruling coalition through its Komeito party.
The Moon Sect generates the lion’s share of its income in Japan where it owns several businesses. For thirty years, a collective of Japanese lawyers has been suing her in civil court, claiming the equivalent of 900 million euros in damages for former faithful.
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