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Shinto religion long entangled with Japan's politics – and Shinzo Abe was associated with many of its groups

9 Comments
By Kaitlyn Ugoretz

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While the Shukan weeklies and digital platforms have analyzed - to a degree - such stories, you won't be seeing them gracing the front pages of Media Inc.

Meaning that most of LDPs supporters will remain in the dark.

Sure, they'll pick up bits 'n pieces here and there, but will either have no interest in deeper analysis or dismiss it as fake news.

The article confirms that huge danger lies in an essentially single party rule for 6+ decades.

There's never been a broom swept through to clear the dust and cobwebs.

Such cleanings are an essential part of Democracy.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Soooo much corruption and shadowy dealings within the LDP and with Abe in particular. I just hope that his death sheds a little more light into the checkered practices of the LDP and gives the public pause to think and contemplate if they really want such a sordid bunch leading their country.

But I'm not holding my breath..

0 ( +9 / -9 )

You really would have to be purposely stupid, not to realize Shinto and the LDP have an a-gender. Both want a return to 1930. One for total political control the other for income. Supported by the same 5 companies and families that have dominated japans business political landscape for over 70 years. They want more they always want more.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

One very clear thing that becomes clear is that the close relationship of some (most?) politicians with various religious groups have absolutely nothing to do with spiritual matters, there is a reason why these relatioships are never discovered with groups that hold zero political or economical power.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Really? The article uses a segue from the assassination in which the assassin was angry at the Unification Church, a Korean export that has absolutely NOTHING to do with Shinto! Shinto is like Christianity in the West—it is the “native” religion in a syncretist society in which Buddhism and Shintoism coexist and always have (as does Christianity since 1868). Yes, Shintoism was used by the Meiji and then the military governments to foment nationalism, but then Western leaders have used Christianity the same way. What the$%^&*( does Shintoism have to do with Abe’s assassination? Absolutely nothing!

Sincerely,

E.S. Krauss

Prof. Emeritus

UCSD

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Kamikaze,Devine Wind

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@ES Krauss - yes you certainly are correct in noting how religion has been used by regimes - world wide in fact - to control/coerce the masses. Nothing new there.

And also you are correct in stating that Shinto and Abe's death have no direct correlation. His killer has attested, apparently, that it was a personal grudge.

However there are similarities in the way that 20th/21st Shinto has been appropriated by right-wing politicians/believers to further their nationalistic causes esp anti-leftist, and the manner of the Unification Church in espousing similar philosophies.

In addition Abe (and family) have direct links to Shinto associations that also share good communion with the UC.

And we're talking about Politicized Shinto here - not the indigenous animistic, spirit, ancestor worship belief system that arose 1000 years ago.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Shinto isn't a religion !

Its a philosophy !

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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