politics

At least 146 LDP lawmakers have had dealings with Unification Church

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When are they going to “cut” ties???

Believe that when I see it!

12 ( +13 / -1 )

The number of those found to have ties with the group, currently equivalent to 38 percent of the 381 LDP members in both chambers of parliament, is likely to increase once the results of an internal survey are released.

Just publish complete list of names .

16 ( +16 / -0 )

Politicians' connections to the church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, have become a source of controversy since former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was killed on July 8 over alleged links to the religious group by a gunman who harbored a grudge against the church.

For the LDP and historically, has there ever been such an effectively agenda-driven assassination? It is tragic and profound.

The LDP will attempt to scrub all visible traces of ties to the Unification Church.

But the influence of these religious groups will persist with their overflowing coffers and desire to curry political influence for their agendas.

Removing their tax exempt statuses and investigating their operations and expropriating their assets would be a great benefit to Japanese society.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Now I understand why the LDP leadership has been cracking down on the yakuza crime syndicates and extortionists. They are trying to wipe out the competition.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

Dealings with, associated with, and or are members of this cult. Politicians have "dealings" with any number of organizations, including the Yakuza, but are not called out for it.

Instead of headlines, let's see the evidence of what exactly they were involved in, and did it break any campaign or other laws here.

IF they did break any laws, they should be detained and treated like any other criminal here and treated accordingly.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Politicians' connections to the church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, have become a source of controversy since former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was killed on July 8 over alleged links to the religious group by a gunman who harbored a grudge against the church.

When the Unification Church entered Japan in 1959, its headquarters was right next to Nobusuke Kishi’s (Abe's grandfather) house in Nanpeidaicho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Fancy so many members having ties to a foreign religious organization?

Why aren’t these politicians being quizzed on national TV why this is?

As per usual, the brown stained commode is just covered up and never emptied…

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Name them and shame them! The public must know what their political representatives are secretly doing.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

The number of those found to have ties with the group, currently equivalent to 38 percent of the 381 LDP members in both chambers of parliament, is likely to increase once the results of an internal survey are released.

It may be more efficient to count and focus on the number of politicians who denied the ties to the Church. Their infiltration into Japanese politics is so deep.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

So we are governed by a Cult.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I would like a clearer explanation of what these "dealings" and "ties" are.

My mother spent many years in local politics in Atlanta (city council, county commisoner, school boards, etc.). I don't think there was a religious group, or any other goup, in her districts she did not visit or speak to at one time. This included attending services with Baptists, Methodists, Jews, Mormons, Episcopalins (even though she is Catholic), giving talks, going to barbebues.... For one, they were her constituents and part of her job was being present to interact directly with them. Two, these people vote, so it was a form of campaigning. And, I'm sure the Unification Church folks vote - probably in a block. And three, just the cynic in me, not only do these people vote, they also donate time and money to politicians and campaigns.

I'm not saying the "dealings" and "ties" are 100% above board or the the Unification folks are 100% legit, but I'm not so sure it is all underhanded either. Just politics.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Did any of them commit any criminal activity? An investigation must take place.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

“ At least 146 lawmakers from the Liberal Democratic Party have had dealings with the Unification Church or affiliated organizations, a Kyodo News survey and interviews revealed Saturday, once again highlighting the close ties between Japan's main ruling party and the religious body.

Founded in South Korea in 1954 by the late Sun Myung Moon and labeled a cult by critics, the church is famous for its mass weddings.

The group's "spiritual sales," in which people are talked into buying jars and other items for exorbitant prices, have become a social problem in the past.

The survey and interviews regarded donations, campaign support, attending events, sending messages, appearing in media and paying membership fees to affiliated entities as constituting dealings with the church. “

I’m not a fan of religion / (religion and politics are the two reasons why the world is such a mess); but my family is Roman Catholic so naturally Roman Catholicism is part of my life; (that is) probably why I look at these religious groups as one of the most disgusting things on Earth; (the same thing happens with politics and, in this case, Japanese politicians;) for them (the cult and the politicians) this is not about religion, it’s about money and power / they couldn’t care less about religion, society and the problems of regular folks out there; taking advantage of/playing with human weakness is a very ugly thing.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Hiroshi Yamaguchi, a lawyer with the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales, said that the church's main activity is fundraising. "Rather than being a religious body, it is, in effect, more of a for-profit business organization," he said.

According to Yamaguchi, the Unification Church previously spent around 10 billion yen (about $72 million) in Japan on expenses and instructed around 30 billion yen to be sent back to headquarters in South Korea.

Yamaguchi believes that in the 1980s, between 60 billion yen and 70 billion yen ($430 million and $500 million based on current exchange rates) went to South Korea from Japan on an annual basis.

But some analysts think that more than 80% of the Unification Church's revenue still comes from Japan. There is no doubt Japan is the source of funds, many experts view.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

The LDP was founded in 1955 with the help and funding of war criminal, fixer, and yakuza associate Yoshio Kodama.

The CIA Archives:

https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/KODAMA%2C%20YOSHIO%20%20%20VOL.%201_0004.pdf

Kodama did much to advance the political careers of his close friends Eisaku Sato, Nobusuke Kishi and Ichiro Hatoyama, all of whom served as Prime Minister.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

I mean unless they were barred from making donations to LDP, their "ties" isn't that surprising.

Doesn't necessarily mean anyone is admitting to anything shady or illegal. If cutting ties is needed then funds need to be returned at least. Doubt that's going to happen.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Awa no GaijinToday  12:21 pm JST

How can Japan rid itself of this parasitic unification church thats infiltrated the Japanese government and society ?

The only way I can think of is by finding evidence of systemmic lawbreaking and banning it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There’s only one way to rid oneself of parasites!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I'm very curious about who is giving the downvotes on this thread and what their opinions on this topic are.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

They're all guilty.

After all, isn't getting the most of amount of votes what politicians want?

They don't care where those votes are coming from anyways.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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