national

Japan defense minister had help from Unification Church in elections

78 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

78 Comments

Comments have been disabled You can no longer respond to this thread.

There must be full disclosure of associations with political lobby groups, cults, and crazies' from every politician voted into office. Fully registered open to scrutiny.

Also a judge led Independent inquiry into possible conflicts of interest.

The electorate need to know what or who's agenda they are voting for.

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, a cabinet member, had help from the "Moonies"?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

You mean to tell us that despite many LDP members openly stating their ties with UC since 1954, Motegi has the audacity to deny any affiliation. Idiocy!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The one thing worse than being corrupt here, is being caught being corrupt!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

It's really no different from the Trump party getting the Jesus freaks to vote for them. They are simply open for business to get votes. I've never run into any Moonies, but I have SK and they are an annoying bunch. But just like the throngs of white Trump Evangelicals, if there is a large enough population of any religion the political groups need to reach out to them for elections obviously.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Corruption in Japan, surely not :-)

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

Frankly, I love every single minute of this mess. Just think about it two seconds, the hardest right-wingers, those who were advocating a tough stance against South Korea and tough sanctions against North Korea, those who are also in bed with Nippon Kaigi a Shinto-base nationalist cult and Komeito (political arm of a buddhist cult), flag-waving frantically and despising communism...ultimately in bed with a South Korean predatory cult with ties / interests in North Korea and which is fleecing the Japanese, meaning that Japanese money flows into South but also North Korea with tacit agreement / blessing from those hardest right-wingers.

The founder of Sokka Gakai was also a Korean as well. Of course, Sokka Gakai controls the Komeito.

Japanese ultranationalists are super ultra duped by now. Not to mention, their anti-China rhetorics are equally ridiculous. For example, Japan is proud of a protectionist economy against Chinese economic imperialism but Chinese businesspeople and Southeast Asians are massively buying Japanese assets everywhere including vital water sources and farmlands. Japanese nationalists keep touting how successful they defended Nissan against the French takeover, while Hokkaido is mostly Chinese now.

Japan is an independent country? Totally duped!

-10 ( +7 / -17 )

So what... Soka Gakkai is the Komeito Party and vice versa (the Soka Gakkai lay organization was excommunicated by Nichiren Shosu in the early 90s). Unless someone can demonstrate some conflict of interest or fraudulent behavior it's a nothing burger. Proposed guilt by association is the worst kind of bigotry. Kind of the bigoted nonsense in the US when Kennedy ran for President and his enemies claimed he would be taking orders from the Pope as the first Catholic president.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

It's really ironic that Japanese right-wingers and LDP elites consistently spend their time bashing Koreans on every front. Their voters also consider Koreans as subhumans.

Meanwhile, these "subhumans" are so powerful in Japan that they can easily bribe, manipulate, and control the politics of Japan with no problem. Yakuzas, Pachinko parlors, and black companies are mostly tied with Koreans, and they are major sources of income for North Korea. Unification Church also has ties with North Korea for a long time as well. Still, the fact remains that the UC dominates Japanese politics, while Japanese politicians consistently bash Koreans every time.

On the side of UC, Moonies also advocate for breeding away Japanese blood with pure Korean lineage. Both fascist nutjobs in Japan and South Korea are really hypocritical and match-made-in-heaven.

-5 ( +10 / -15 )

Wallace

Of course i understand

However we're discussing Japanese so called Democracy as not all Democracies are the same.

I don't think you understand my point being that the Japanese people should have had been more accurately informed as to the corruption.

And Japanese people definitely vote .

And elections happen.

Who elected kishida ?

Who elected LDP ?

To reiterate :

The process that got kishida elected and the LDP in power should be redone !

I assume you understand English ?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

"I have associated with a few members (of the church) and received their help as volunteers," Kishi, Abe's younger brother, said at a press conference,

Beware that a "honey trap" is another tactic employed by the UC to infiltrate into Japanese politics via election support.

旧統一教会系「勝共連合」が誇る“20代女性軍団”の正体 議員事務所を回って「お手伝いします」と潜入

https://dot.asahi.com/dot/2022072600057.html?page=1

Sexism aside, candidates prefer to take them because it's believed that their services are mostly free of charge or underpaid. The abuse of volunteerism is a deep structural problem in Japanese society, not merely in election campaigning.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The Japanese, including their politicians, are hardly known for their theological sophistication. Ask Japanese students about religion and you're very likely to get a stereotypical answer, indicating both ignorance and indifference. Shuukyou (宗教) is typically associated with organizations, not ideas, and organizations in Japan tend to be very demanding and even coercive, so it's no wonder that most people don't want to get involved. But then there are those "looking for something," and, alas, too many of them are gullible. The Moonies are not Christian, and what they teach makes the "moon as green cheese" theory seem almost plausible...My family and I support the LDP and admired Abe-san, but we have no illusions about the opportunism of most all politicians. We still don't know the full story, but anyone who would have anything to do with the Moonies is guilty of very bad judgment.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

It seems Abe’s assassin’s message has shown a light on an area that badly needed to be exposed...

It’s tragic that he had to go to that extent, for that to happen...

It used to be a journalist’s job to expose and enquire, but there are not many journalists anymore.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Where do the wheelchair come from?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Hak Ja Han Moon, is considered by many in the movement to be a “messiah” and the “Mother of humankind.” She founded the Women’s Federation for World Peace International.

https://www.wfwp.org/japan

Their HQ is a big building in New York. There are 8 centers in Japan.

 2. Hyun Jin Preston Moon, leads the Family Peace Association

https://www.hyunjinmoon.com/initiatives/

http://japan.family-peace.org/top/

HQ: No. 308 Bilia Verde, 2-15-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu-shi, Tokyo 182-0021

Hyung Jin Sean Moon, started the Sanctuary Church.

https://www.sanctuary-jp.org

Many churches in Japan.

HQ: 889 Main Street Newfoundland, PA 18445

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I thought the killer was just a stupid guy but I differ from my initial opinion. He chose a target that's making things come out to light that would have been forever buried had he chosen someone else.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

BertieWoosterToday  08:11 am JST

The Unification Church is the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot going on here. Soka Gakkai, Komeito, advice and help from the US government,

Really weird that you put the US government in the same crowd as these cult religous organizations. The LDP wouldn't even exist without the help and advice of the US govt.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

The well-established Kishi brand of money politics is as fragrant as a bucket of chum, but, on the other hand, without the systemic corruption the LDP would collapse like the old CPSU. Yet it's sobering to contemplate that Japanese democracy hangs by the hegemony of the LDP and all its works.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

On the death of the founder of the Unification Church in 2012, it broke up into different factions including one led by his widow.

His widow, Hak Ja Han Moon, is considered by many in the movement to be a “messiah” and the “Mother of humankind.” She founded the Women’s Federation for World Peace International. Moon’s eldest living son, Hyun Jin Preston Moon, leads the Family Peace Association, while the youngest son, Hyung Jin Sean Moon, started the Sanctuary Church.

Which is the active faction in Japan?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@gintonic, surely you haven't read much about politics in my home country. It's wheelchair and neck brace!

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

They volunteered to do phone campaigning. What is the problem with that?

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

Same idea with @BertieWooster. But the Koreans with all its dirt thru UC never plan to side step Japan nor the US. Unlike the Other Nation with the ultimate ambition to be number 1. And some are into Jpolitics as well.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I would strongly recommend all readers of JT listen to the podcast "Behind the Bastards" and their recent in-depth analysis of the Reunification Church.

It's astounding to me that their influence over the (in effect) One-Party State of Japan ahs gone unchallenged for so long.

And yes, spoiler alert - it was Kishi who invited them in because of their vehemently anti-communist policy.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Can any here say with complete sincerity that any Japanese politician alive today is as venal, dishonest and outright immoral as Silvio Berlusconi of Italy? Do any Japanese politicians have "Bunga Bunga" parties with underage Tunisian strippers who turn up mysteriously dead the day before they are supposed to testify against Signor Belusconi?

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Scandal in the wind ...time to bring out the sympathy wheelchair?

Spot on.

Absolutely shameful as per usual from the government

-3 ( +12 / -15 )

‘I hope the LDP gets dumped next time around.’

More likely the LDP will declare a moratorium on outside parties involvement in elections. After pontificating long and hard, the inevitable inquiry will then absolve those responsible of any responsibility for the mess they created, allowing the same outside influences, probably rebadged under a new name, to quietly resume their activities. The LDP meanwhile reaps the benefit of appearing firm and decisive and wins in yet another landslide. Japan’s feed ‘em bovine excreta and keep ‘em in the dark mushroom cultivation formula.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

The health of the Japanese defense minister is worrying, and he relies on a wheelchair to go in and out, paving the way for his son to enter politics and dare not retreat.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

All the political parties use volunteers during elections. You see them going around the streets in cars. Or manning phones. There is nothing illegal about any of it.

When a citizen becomes a volunteer for any political party they are not allowed to be paid and they are not vetted for religious beliefs.

The same happens in other countries.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

My son was flunking out of college so I told him: “You will marry the girl I choose."

He said, "no."

I told him, "He is Bill Gates' daughter."

He said, "yes."

I called Bill Gates and… said, “I want your daughter to marry my son."

Bill Gates said, "no."

I told Bill Gates, "My son is the CEO of the World Bank."

Bill Gates said, "yes."

I called the President of the World Bank and asked him to make my son the CEO.

He said, "no."

I told him, "My son is Bill Gates' son-in-law."

He said, "yes."

And that's exactly how politics works. And thus, began the practice of hiring morons to work in influential positions of government. This practice remains unbroken to this day.

14 ( +21 / -7 )

Volunteers?

Just how many other loopholes does the LDP keep in handy?

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne

The LDP government should be deemed corrupt and the prime Minister election should be redone now that all these new facts are coming to light.

There was no Prime Minister election. The leader of the political party which wins a lower house general election becomes the prime minister. The leader of a party is elected by their own politicians.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

It seems the japanese politicians are especially prone to bribery

And politicians in the West are clean?

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

The LDP government should be deemed corrupt and the prime Minister election should be redone now that all these new facts are coming to light.

I sincerely doubt the majority of the Japanese public were aware of all the corruption and outside influences prior to the election of Kishida and the LDP

All the Japanese lawyers need to form an alliance and hold the government accountable for the constitution.

There's too much complacency by the Japanese public.

Time to rise up and put a stop to government corruption.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

according to investigative sources

It would be nice to give credit to those who were doing actual research while mainstream media were busy whitewashing Abe's legacy.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

NO MORE CULTS, is the next election THEME.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

You didn’t read the article, did you?

it’s a sarcastic rhetorical question. It translates to “bad apple don’t fall far from the same tree”

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Am I the only one who thinks it's bizarre that so many people have connections to it when it's considered a cult by many people?

A lot of people see Masons that way. Mormons too. Both have highly influential people in business and politics.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Imagine a nation with it's prime minister and it's Defense minister, being compromised???

Find out who Abram Vereide was and who Doug Coe is. Learn what they have been teaching American politicians of both major parties. The Moonies are small potatoes compared to Vereide and Coe, and "The Family".

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Kishi is Abe's brother with links to the bloodline of a past prime minister? It's clear that he's next in line to be dear leader.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

He did nothing illegal if the members were volunteers because they are also Japanese citizens. The LDP needs to review and change how it receives donations, especially from individuals.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

It seems the japanese politicians are especially prone to bribery.

Hardly. Ever hear of Mayor Daily of Chicago and his political machine? CCP cadres make the corruption of Japanese politicians look tiny. In China you have to produce a red envelope every year to the local cadre or you get inspected by the tax authorities, health and safety and every other enforcement agency imaginable. By the time they get done fining you you wish you had paid the bribe to that greedy CC puke.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

""But Motegi did not give a clear answer on whether the LDP would conduct investigations into individual party members""

Sure!! is it possible that Mr. Motegi has also received support from the UC?

5 ( +7 / -2 )

The UC knows exactly who to target with their so called  "Volunteers" support, NOTHING IS FREE and at some point favors will be asked from those at the receiving end.

Imagine a nation with it's prime minister and it's Defense minister, being compromised???

10 ( +12 / -2 )

I hope the LDP gets dumped next time around.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I'm now appalled that more than 100 LDP right-wing or say "patriotic" lawmakers including key figures like Mr Kishi have kept in touch with the cult even after the end of the Cold War, a common cause for both sides (used to be an anti-commie coalition).

The UC is highly chauvinistic and discriminatory against Japan. Such is supposed to be most hated or challenged by the "patriotic" LDP. Otherwise those 100 LDP are guilty of high treason.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

It seems to me some more LDP members would lose next election without unification church's help.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Am I the only one who thinks it's bizarre that so many people have connections to it when it's considered a cult by many people?

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Far from its goal of a "unified" world, the Unification Church is highly chauvinistic and anti-Japanese in nature. It always gives favoritism to its "co-national" Korean followers regarded as the "chosen people" while treating the Japanese as a "damned nation," guilty of wartime acts. For example, the amount of admissions to an infamous mass wedding differs by 10 times (140,000 yen for a Korean, 1.4 million for a Japanese). The Washington Post noted that about 70% of the cult wealth has come from Japan.

How Abe and Japan became vital to Moon’s Unification Churchhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/12/unification-church-japan-shinzo-abe/

The UC's dogma justifies such discriminatory economic exploitation as a "redemption" in order to clear Japanese of the past sins. Shamelessly the cult has never concealed its intent (but the Japanese side has reported little, or underreported it, up until recently).

「“経済部隊”日本からの献金で韓国は潤っていた」2度の合同結婚式に参加した元2世信者が語る、旧統一教会の“洗脳”と“資金集め”【報道特集】

「日本は戦前、韓国に対し犯した罪がある。その罪を清算するために献金しなければならない」

https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/104625?display=1

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Is that photo of Davros, the evil creator of Daleks?

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

where is Fumio now...?

8 ( +8 / -0 )

The Unification Church is the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot going on here. Soka Gakkai, Komeito, advice and help from the US government, both overtly and covertly have kept this corrupt LDP government in a position of power for so long.

But who is going to investigate it?

20 ( +28 / -8 )

Meanwhile, Toshimitsu Motegi, LDP secretary general, said that the ruling party has already thoroughly confirmed that no organizational relationship exists between it and the Unification Church.

Whitewash.

But Motegi did not give a clear answer on whether the LDP would conduct investigations into individual party members, saying he would warn them about being "strict and cautious" in their relationships with organizations, given their position as lawmakers.

Comedy gold. Anyone who's spent even 5 minutes in Japan knows that these people become politicians because of their "relationships with organizations".

15 ( +25 / -10 )

Must be an attempt at distraction to prevent or stall investigation of Abe. Opposition must push for an Abe investigation. Kishi and the rest of the LDP goons should be next.

9 ( +15 / -6 )

LDP policies must be compatible with the mindset of the Moonies if they are paying the ultimate compliment of working in the LDP's campaigns. And, MAYBE ;(, donating more than just their time... The LDP kind of reminds me of the old Mayor Daley machine that ran Democratic politics in Chicago and 'discouraged' rivals those seemingly centuries ago and, if you wanted anything done, your alderman would see to it for a 'contribution'. There it was the Catholic church which supported the machine... here, the 'Family Federation for World Peace and Unification'. Different words, same song.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said Tuesday he had received help in past elections from members of the Unification Church, becoming the latest ruling party lawmaker to disclose connections with the group at the center of controversy over the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

ten bucks says the majority of right-wing politicians are also members or at the very least, have connections to the church. No wonder these politicians have such a skewed mindset on how to run the country. But then again, most politicians from around the world tend to get the support of prominent religious groups since these religions will endorse them to their followers. Funny world we live in.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Well well well. If the assassin keeps racking up points against the Moonie-LDP connection, he might be given a moderate sentence. What a crazy story.

Just hope it doesn't inspire more vigilantes...

7 ( +12 / -5 )

The Kishi family are but a pawn in a game which has been set up for them from outside of Japan.

0 ( +11 / -11 )

politics in a nutshell

It seems the japanese politicians are especially prone to bribery.

12 ( +21 / -9 )

The 41-year-old has also said he believed Abe's grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi, had invited the group to Japan from South Korea, according to investigative sources.

‘That’s not in dispute. It’s a Fact.

Since they are only volunteers, I cannot indiscreetly answer what will happen in the next election," Kishi said.

What? Members of a cult do not volunteer unless told to.

But Motegi did not give a clear answer on whether the LDP would conduct investigations into individual party members,

‘That would be embarrassing.

It’s such a mess pool of filth, and the LDP are constantly in the middle of one inappropriate action after another.

21 ( +29 / -8 )

Honesty will lead all of us in the right direction. Noone knew such relations would bring tragic consequences.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Isnt he Abe’s brother?

You didn’t read the article, did you?

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Isnt he Abe’s brother?

Yes, he's a biological young brother for Shinzo Abe, adopted by the childless parents whose family bloodline links to the former PM Nobusuke Kishi.

22 ( +22 / -0 )

Of course he did, he’s part of the family! I’d guess that most of his life has been funded by the UC.

19 ( +28 / -9 )

Such a murky world, it is!

And ignorant of it are the Japanese people...

15 ( +32 / -17 )

The defense minister has been receiving support from a dubious and predatory religious organization headquartered in another country. Kishi should immediately hand in his resignation.

31 ( +46 / -15 )

Sounds so Republiclownish..

Lol!!!.

9 ( +19 / -10 )

The defense minister just became a target for those opposing the government.

Japan needs all new leadership !

Flush out the parasites

29 ( +37 / -8 )

Isnt he Abe’s brother?

23 ( +29 / -6 )

Business as usual then....

17 ( +38 / -21 )

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites