Japanese economic minister to step down over church links - NHK (updated)
24/10/2022 10:57
(Adds details, background)
TOKYO, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Japan's economic
revitalisation minister is to step down, public broadcaster NHK
said on Monday, after growing criticism of what some members of
the public see as his failure to fully explain his ties to a
church group that critics say is akin to a cult.
Daishiro Yamagiwa's resignation would be the first from
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet and a severe blow a
leader whose support has tumbled to record lows amid revelations
about connections between nearly half of the lawmakers of his
ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Unification
Church.
Yamagiwa is expected to speak to the media later on Monday,
the Kyodo news agency reported.
The church, founded in South Korea in the 1950s and famous
for its mass weddings, has came under the spotlight following
the July 8 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The suspect in Abe's shooting bore a grudge against the
church, alleging it bankrupted his mother and he blamed Abe for
promoting it, according to his social media posts and news
reports.
Since the killing, evidence has come to light of deep and
longstanding ties between the church and LDP members.
The LDP has acknowledged that many individual lawmakers have
ties to the church but have said there was no organisational
link to the party.
Kishida last week ordered an investigation into church.
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Calls from the opposition for Yamagiwa to resign have risen
in recent days but he has said he would stay and carry out his
duties.
This month, a Jiji news agency poll showed that approval for
Kishida's government had fallen below 30% for the first time, a
danger level below which his government might find it hard to
carry out his political agenda.
Critics say the church built ties with politicians in Japan
to attract followers and gain legitimacy while politicians
gained access to church members for help with campaigns.
The Unification Church was founded in 1954 by Sun Myung
Moon, an anti-communist and self-declared messiah.
Critics have for years vilified his ministry as a dangerous
cult and questioned its finances and how it indoctrinates its
followers, often derided as "Moonies".
(Reporting by Mariko Katsumura, Writing by Elaine Lies
Editing by Chang-Ran Kim, Robert Birsel)
((elaine.lies@thomsonreuters.com; +81-3-4563-2748; Reuters
Messaging: elaine.lies@thomsonreuters.com))