Abe shooter's plan to target religious head thwarted by COVID

The suspect in former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's fatal shooting originally planned to kill the head of a religious organization

The responses to the assassination will be the politically advantageous ones.

The LDP election bump, constitutional revision and some police security campaigns.

Not the logical one that would help the Japanese people and governance.

Remove the tax exempt status from these shadowy and influential religious organizations and place them under more scrutiny.

The police are continuing to look for clues and evidence, they found several pellets logged in the wall of a building near the scene. It is miraculous that not one other person was hit by shots from the homemade gun. I don't know what to make of that.

2.6 seconds between the two gun shots. In other countries the bodyguards would have swarmed the VIP in less than a second. Typical no thinking outside the box in Japan.

So it was covid that caused the shooting.

Iam surprised he was able to just watch how to make guns on utube in Japan.

Abe was dead within five minutes of getting shot. Probably sooner.

11:32 a.m. Shooting

11:35 a.m. No vital signs

12:13 p.m. Medical helicopter takes off with Abe on board

12:20 p.m. Medical helicopter arrives at hospital

Nearly 50 minutes from shooting to hospital arrival. Strikingly slow response, unfortunately.

Remove the tax exempt status from these shadowy and influential religious organizations and place them under more scrutiny.

you serious? Komeito is the second biggest political parties and Yasakuni Shrine is voted frequently by sitting diet members.

What is the dude on the ladder wearing ?

Every time you give money at a Shinto Shrine, buy an arrow at New Year you are donating funds to Nippon Kaigie. It’s up to you what you support and up to them what they in-vision for your children's future. Shadow powers don’t like exposing their poisonous corruption.

He's wearing a climbing harness

Tomihiro Tanaka, president of the church's Japan branch, recently confirmed that Yamagami's mother became a follower around 1998 and that the family suffered financial ruin sometime around 2002.

The family suffered financial ruin 4 years after joining the church?

But I checked the church webpage and found only smiling testimonials.

Confused...

Yamagami has told police the attack was not motivated by Abe's politics but believes that Abe's grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, invited the church to start operating in Japan, they said.

OK, this is a good start that Kyoto are able to put these words in the same sentence - baby steps I guess.

Not only did Kishi invite the church to start operating in Japan, he embedded them into the LDP. The church has funded and campaigned on behalf of hundreds of LDP politicians for decades. The actions and motivations of all those involved likely go way beyond that though.

This story will come out once journalists realise the extent of the relationship between the Unification church and the LDP, and how this has affected national policy for the last 50+ years.

Yamagami said he found a video message online from Abe to a September event hosted by a group affiliated with the religious organization...

I watched a video of the event to find out what Abe's message was, and I was surprised to find out that Donald Trump, among many others, also sent a video message for the event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkCveSTsnlM&lc=UgxgL8VY6rK63VDjZah4AaABAg

It's a very long video (3 hours).

Trump's video message starts at 1:16:33

Abe's video message starts at 1:28:07

Every time you give money at a Shinto Shrine, buy an arrow at New Year you are donating funds to Nippon Kaigie. It’s up to you what you support and up to them what they in-vision for your children's future. Shadow powers don’t like exposing their poisonous corruption.

Yes. The problem is that the ‘fundraising’ and the ‘social control’ have been so deeply embedded into cultures and traditions it’s now difficult to talk about these things. People think you are attacking their culture rather than pointing out where the corruption exists.

This was done by design I might add, this was why Kishi was originally attracted to the Unification Church as it had proven methods of controlling large groups of people and monetising them. Kishi saw this as a vital tool to empower his new political party - the LDP.

He really killed the wrong person.

This was done by design I might add, this was why Kishi was originally attracted to the Unification Church as it had proven methods of controlling large groups of people and monetising them. Kishi saw this as a vital tool to empower his new political party - the LDP.

To my knowledge, Kishi originally aimed to form a coalition of will from various right-wing groups countervailing the Communist advances during the Cold War.

To my knowledge, Kishi originally aimed to form a coalition of will from various right-wing groups countervailing the Communist advances during the Cold War.

Yes. That’s essentially how the two groups came together.

(In 1968) Reverend Moon established his “Federation for Victory over Communism” (Shokyo Rengo) in Korea, Sasakawa agreed to become its honorary chairman in Japan. Kishi was impressed by the Federation, suggesting that “If all younger people were like Shokyo Rengo members, Japan would have a bright future.” In this way, Sasakawa and Kishi shielded what would become one of the most widely distrusted groups in contemporary Japan.

https://tragedyofthesixmarys.com/moon-bought-protection-japan/

Recent scientific research shows that religion is a neurosis and may lead to mental illness, the shooter's mother is testimony to this. What do you do, ban religions? Now there's an idea.

For anyone interested in more history regarding Abe and the UC pls see here.

https://tragedyofthesixmarys.com/moon-bought-protection-japan/

Everybody seems confused her: this guy who killed Abe san has never been a UC member. Needless to say that the UC is totally against wars, weapons, and any sort of physical violence. Moreover, Abe has never been so much involved in the UC....he just attended a couple of events like many other politicians around the world to get votes and money from various religious groups.... that's normal.

They should stop referring to it as a donation from the mother and call it what it is extortion!

HBJ

"To my knowledge, Kishi originally aimed to form a coalition of will from various right-wing groups countervailing the Communist advances during the Cold War...."

Yes. That’s essentially how the two groups came together.

It was nothing unusual. Such a coalition was not only for these two specific groups, but there was, and has been, a natural coalition between Anti-Communist politics and Religions world-wide because of Karl Marx's view of religion as opium and because Communist governments have oppressed religious freedom. Hence, the coalition was a natural and world wide phonomenon, especially during the Cold War.

HBJToday  08:17 am JST

This story will come out once journalists realise the extent of the relationship between the Unification church and the LDP, and how this has affected national policy for the last 50+ years.

I wouldn't count on that happening in Japan, journalists here don't have the freedoms we see elsewhere.

Needless to say that the UC is totally against wars, weapons, and any sort of physical violence.

Haha, are you sure about that?!

Maybe you are just being sarcastic, but you couldn't be further from the truth - like polar opposite.

@Harry - I agree, it will have to come from foreign journos. When it does, it's going to open the mother of all cans of worms.

Would really love to know what "price" he placed on Abe's life. Just how much is a "huge" donation?

He took a molotov cocktail to the venue

But couldn't enter

Hmm....curious

It was nothing unusual. Such a coalition was not only for these two specific groups, but there was, and has been, a natural coalition between Anti-Communist politics and Religions world-wide because of Karl Marx's view of religion as opium and because Communist governments have oppressed religious freedom. Hence, the coalition was a natural and world wide phonomenon, especially during the Cold War.

@socrateos - True, but this wasn't a religion in the genuine (spiritual) sense of the word, it was a cult (yeah I know, what's the difference!). Kishi didn't want the religious aspect of it, he wanted the method of control and monetization. He saw it as his way to attain power, not a way to promote religious freedom. He knew exactly what UC was and had been doing, and therefore how he could make use of it.

Not only was the security detail poorly inept, but the amateur Japanese media like this article is allowing the domestic terrorist to run the narrative.

We do not allow criminals to give us the narrative - we prosecute criminals to the fullest extent of the law. He stalked and murdered a high-ranking Japanese statesman.

Shame on Japanese media for allowing themselves to be manipulated this easy by the criminal.

@ Wil

Modern media do not give terrorists/murders a voice to rationalize their evil intent.

What is being ignored is this is not the first lone-wolf domestic terrorist in Japan and they appear not to address the problem they have with these middle-aged loner men and choose to instead allow this nutjob to deflect his actions rationalizing it with the actions of a church.

Some people are buying this killer propaganda and deflection hook, line, and sinker. He is a domestic terrorist that is all that need to be discussed.

Does it make sense to keep digging into this? The guy is clearly just barking mad. What are they hoping to find? Some way of blaming the gaijin I guess.

Evidence sweep 5 days after the crime?

There's one positive aspect . he triggered let peace-boke Japan focus on the cult. These cults needs to be exterminated

Many decades ago I lost a childhood friend to the Moonies. He went off to college and 2 years later I got a call from his mother asking me to come over and talk to him, because she couldn't get anywhere. I went and found that all he could talk about was God and the Bible. He was like a totally different person. That was my first direct contact with brainwashing. A few years later I lost a high school friend who went off to college to the Krishnas. His parents hired some "specialist" to pretty much kidnap him and bring him home. A couple months laster he ran away from home and went back to their place in I think it was Quebec. These cult type religions are really really evil. They prey upon the weak minded, both young and old alike. So it doesn't surprise me at all that Yamagami's mother went broke in 4 years. And while I obviously don't condone his action, I can appreciate the level of hate he must have harbored for the Unification Church.

As far as the connection beetween Abe's family, and the LDP with the Unification Church, I hope the media rip into it expose it to the people of Japan and the world.

The more I read the news, the more I feel sorry for this guy. That's a lot of money lost. I wish he had sought some professional help rather than taking such an action.

I hope the media rip into it

The Japanese media?! They don't rip into anything. That is not their function in Japan.

Most news shows in Japan still avoid to even mention deep connection between ruling party LDP and Unification Church.

Needless to say that the UC is totally against wars, weapons, and any sort of physical violence.

You may want to rethink that. This Vice story contradicts your statement. Hyung Jim "Sean" Moon, son of the late Sun Myung Moon, has an armed congregation called the Rod of Iron Ministries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArfGyo6HQ_E

Needless to say that the UC is totally against wars, weapons, and any sort of physical violence.

Gosh You're dead wrong　

Kishi had been taking money from anti-communist religious cults ever since the Americans changed their minds and released him from Sugamo in 1948 to spearhead the American Cold War policy from Japan and block the growing threat of a left-wing wave with his hawkish right-wing nationalism, a political legacy he bequeathed to his grandson who, ironically, was as a result fated to become a victim of his grandfather's long shadow.

Does this suggest that Japan would start censoring YouTube content?

Sources reported that Yamagami said he watched YouTube videos on how to make guns.

@MarkX Good point, the report says Abe was shot at a range of 5-7 meters but looking at the scatter pattern and how high up the pellets were found to have hit buildings makes me wonder also? Why weren't other people near by were not reported of being hit with fragments

The police are continuing to look for clues and evidence, they found several pellets logged in the wall of a building near the scene. It is miraculous that not one other person was hit by shots from the homemade gun. I don't know what to make of that.

the report says Abe was shot at a range of 5-7 meters but looking at the scatter pattern and how high up the pellets were found to have hit buildings makes me wonder also?

You should call the investigators. You clearly know more than they do, and without your input, I can't see how they could ever figure out who did it...

HBJ

Kishi didn't want the religious aspect of it, he wanted the method of control and monetization.

I am skeptical that money was the reason that created a coalition between the two groups (anti-communist politics and religions). A very simple fact that communisim is anti-religion and religion therefore is anti-communism - that was the reason for the coalition between the two. Religion and Communism are philosophically incompatible.

During the Cold War, communist governments implimented state atheism against churches and religions.

Karl Marx, the founder and primary theorist of Marxism, viewed religion as "the soul of soulless conditions" or the "opium of the people".... In the Marxist–Leninist interpretation, all modern religions and churches are considered as "organs of bourgeois reaction" used for "the exploitation and the stupefaction of the working class". A number of Marxist–Leninist governments in the 20th century such as the Soviet Union after Vladimir Lenin and the People's Republic of China under Mao Zedong implemented rules introducing state atheism. (Wikipedia)

The spread of communism was a threat to religions:

The Khmer Rouge, under its policy of state atheism, actively imposed an atheistic agrarian revolution, resulting in the persecution of ethnic minorities and Buddhist monks during their reign from 1975 to 1979. Buddhist institutions and temples were destroyed and Buddhist monks and teachers were killed in large numbers. A third of the nation's monasteries were destroyed along with numerous holy texts and items of high artistic quality. 25,000 Buddhist monks were massacred by the regime. (Wikipedia)

The Communist government in Prague tried to destroy all organized religion in Czechoslovakia, especially the Roman and Greek churches. It emulated many practices of the anti-religious campaign in the Soviet Union, such as creating bodies to control religious activities and punishing priests who failed to comply with the many laws on religion... [The state labeled] Catholic clergies as enemies of the people. (Wikipedia)

Naturally, religions became defensive against communism. And this resulted in various coalitions between religions and anti-communist politics.

The Catholic Church has a long history of anti-communism.... Pope John Paul II was a harsh critic of communism as was Pope Pius IX, who issued a Papal encyclical, entitled Quanta cura, in which he called "communism and Socialism" the most fatal error. Popes' anti-communist stances were carried on in Italy by the Christian Democracy (DC), the centrist party founded by Alcide De Gasperi in 1943, which dominated Italian politics for almost fifty years, until its dissolution in 1993, preventing the Italian Communist Party (PCI) from reaching power. (Wikipedia)

Cult or not, religions in general are anti-communism. And that creates such a coalitions between the two groups.