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© KYODOOpposition steps up offensive against beleaguered PM Kishida
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Moskollo
It’s not rocket science, offer lower taxes and promise to stop abenomics, support families and give incentives for having children, Japan are crying out for new leadership, but still the opposition can’t even lay a glove on kishida..
Simon Foston
obladiToday 07:06 am JST
The DPJ doesn't exist anymore.
Do the LDP?
The CDPJ and the other opposition parties probably do, but they need more than just good ideas.
BertieWooster
I cannot think with the weakminded insincerity of LDP politicians. They support the Moonies 100%, donating money and passing them power and then, when the organisation is outed as a cult, they sever ties.
These guys are NOT leaders. They are followers. Please Japanese voting public, get these criminals out and put in some real politicians before it's too late.
obladi
Honestly, the DPJ needs to do more than just gripe if they want to be taken seriously. Do they have a plan for economic recovery? If not, who cares about their criticism.
Cricky
You can give family members government jobs? That’s very feudal. How many people were interviewed for that plumb position?
Yubaru
Just how long does it take for anyone to "sever" ties? Still searching through records you forgot to delete?
dagon
'Adequate measures '
'Vowing to change'
All weasel words to evade work on legislative change and address systemic issues.
When a majority of the apples have proven to be tainted it is fruitless to identify the bad apples.
There is an opening for a populist party working in the interest of the Japanese people to state they will divest of all religious group interests, remove their tax exempt statuses and enact policies in the interest of the Japanese working person.
They will have to be savage and confrontational though.
browny1
Watching the highlights of the days proceedings on News 10 last night, it was more evident than usual how inept Kishida Inc are. He looked way out of his depth with his feeble responses.
The rote answers - all read - showed nothing has changed at all in the inner workings of the ldp.
Incredible how such a scandal-wracked party - for years and years now - can hold so many seats.
Agree that the opposition is fragmented but the fact that such a number of citizens vote for these masqueraders boggles the mind.
Ricky Kaminski13
The fact that he thought it was ok to put his son in such an important position at this juncture shows clearly he doesn’t have the sense nor the goods to run the country. How quickly they fall.
Next!
venze
Opposition steps up offensive against beleaguered Kishida:
Nepotism, nepotism, nepotism.
Apart from party's suspicious ties with the Church, his unduly favoritism sickens..
SDCA
I might consider changing jobs and work for Mitsui & Co. seeing as they offer degrees in Economics and Political Science and have careers engaged in policy making/ constitutional reforms with the next career step being a government role that requires no screening and is practically given to you if you pass the bocchan of a politician test. Too bad I am a muggle...
Simon Foston
Oct. 6 10:56 pm JST
Abe234Today 08:32 am JST
Totally agree, but it would help if they gave up ridiculous notions of ideologically opposed politicians cooperating with each other. The conservatives, for instance, should clearly just join the LDP where they belong and the liberals and centrists in the CDPJ and SDP should get together in one party.
The Communists should focus mainly on local government elections. They will never be in power, all they need to do in the Diet is make their voices heard and they don't need many members to do that.
Mohan
Oh No!!! This is going to cost much more money...Brace
Just going by the Wind...
NK's test is not going to divert LDP's controversies - they might be hoping it would.
Simon Foston
Abe234Today 08:32 am JST
Hm. I see. So - care to tell us what's so fantastic about the LDP?
Abe234
Simon FostonToday 10:45 pm JST
Abe234Today 08:32 am JST
There is absolutely nothing fantastic about the LDP. I just wish the opposition would come together, work together, and stop splitting all their votes into little tiny parties. The need a cohesive, approach, instead of many parties with different policies. Absolutely no point being in opposition for 50 odd years, if you can't implement a single policy. I can see why LDP keeps winning. And I can see why the opposition keep loosing. Too many chiefs, and not enough Indians.
Steven Mccarthy
I reject the premise of the word “beleaguered.” Most of what’s being said about Kishida is just innuendo…. What if’s…… the main opposition party had their chance and blew it big time…. The one criticism I have of Kishida is that he needs to cut off all this corporate welfare and just give the money to the people who will spend it …. Our bosses gave us a one off mid year raise of 4% which doesn’t even dent the cost of living (inflation) increases we’ve recently seen …/ and with winter around the corner, it’s going to get a whole lot worse for households….
Aly Rustom
funny thing is had we said that the LDP, the right wing ultranationalist group had connections to a S Korean Church 6 months ago, we would have been laughed at then
Aly Rustom
what the right wing can't stomach is that their champion, the ultranationalist Abe, who staked his whole political career on nationalism turned out to be in the pocket of the Koreans
Aly Rustom
The problem Michael is that we'll just another LDP idiot. Revolving door politics. Nothing changes.
CKAI
abe234 says... 80 more YEARS~
Dango bong
do you realize more money was spent on Abe's funeral that the Queen of England's? But hey, it is the idit taxpayers footing the bill who gives a rip, right?
Spitfire
We all thought.
Aly Rustom
not to mention that the founder of the church had very close ties to N. Korea
In 2010, in Pyongyang, to mark the 20th anniversary of Moon's visit to Kim Il-sung, **de facto head of state Kim Yong-nam hosted Moon's son Hyung Jin Moon, then the president of the Unification Church, in his official residence.[228][229] At that time, Hyung Jin Moon donated 600 tons of flour to the children of Jeongju, the birthplace of Sun Myung Moon.[230][231]**
In 2012, Moon was posthumously awarded North Korea's National Reunification Prize.[232] On the first anniversary of Moon's death, North Korean chairman Kim Jong-un expressed condolences to Han and the family, saying: "Kim Jong-un prayed for the repose of Moon, who worked hard for national concord, prosperity and reunification and world peace."[233] In 2017, the Unification Church sponsored the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP)—headed by former Prime Minister of Nepal Madhav Kumar Nepal and former Minister of Peace and Reconstruction Ek Nath Dhakal—visited Pyongyang and had constructive talks with the Korean Workers' Party.[234] In 2020 the movement held an in-person and virtual rally for Korean unification which drew about one million attendees.[70]
kennyG
It seems clearer that it is not Abe who just gave a video speech on UC's affiliate group event just like Trump, but is Hosoda who had deeper ties with UC. Hence it is a bit of stretch again to assert Abe was in the pocket
of UC.
Aly Rustom
Its not a stretch
He was in their pocket
Aly Rustom
Moon's theology teaches that his homeland Korea is the "Adam country", home of the master race destined to rule the world. Japan is the "fallen Eve country". The dogma teaches Eve had sexual relations with Satan and then seduced Adam, which caused mankind to fall from grace (original sin), while Moon was appointed to bring mankind to salvation. Japan must be subservient to Korea.[40][41] This was used to indoctrinate their Japanese followers into offering every single material belonging to Korea via the church.[42]
Assassination of Shinzo Abe - Wikipedia
And Abe supported THIS.
Aly Rustom
So much for all the right wing crap the LDP has been spewing out. Let me highlight this again.
The dogma teaches Eve had sexual relations with Satan and then seduced Adam, which caused mankind to fall from grace (original sin), while Moon was appointed to bring mankind to salvation. Japan must be subservient to Korea.
From the church of which more than HALF of the LDP have ties to.
kennyG
Not at all. Was he a member? No. Did he believe and support such dogma? No one, no media, even UC mentioned as such but yourself.
kennyG
Most of lawmakers who had ties (not only LDP but also CDPJ) with UC didn't even know or care such dogma
or what Moonies actually telling their Japanese followers behind the curtain. They just utilize UC staffs, that seems more accurate picture
Aly Rustom
If he didn't then why have ties to them in the first place? And lets not forget HIS Grandfather helped establish them here. So its VERY farfetched to say he didn't believe in their dogma. That's what having ties to the church means. Deny it all you want. But at the end of the day, the ruling party of Japan, the only party of Japan panders to this group- this group that says Japan must be subservient to Korea.
kennyG
Then Ex-PM from DPJ, Hatoyama also believed and supported such dogma, deep in their pocket , which rather sounds more realistic considering what he has been doing and saying even now IN South Korea. All those key figures of CDPJ who have been reported having ties too the same, deep in their pocket.
Previous chairman of FFWPU (aka. UC) Japan boasted " I am the one who persuaded Mr Abe to present a speech. He was initially reluctant and rejected it, but since I mentioned President Trump would also give us a speech, Mr Abe changed his mind and accepted our request", which was video-recorded and broad-casted frequently.
If he believes and supports such dogma , which makes him a complete follower, but reject making speech in the first place? then tried to deny Kono-Danwa and release new Abe Danwa wrt comfort women issues? and strongly contest SK's supreme court verdict wrt war time labor issues?
You know what UC and Moon have been telling Japanese followers behind curtain in much more clear and practical manner about WHY Japan must be subservient to Korea, don't you?
Aly Rustom
First of all it wasn’t Hatoyama’s grandfather who brought them into Japan in the first place- It was Abe’s
As for President Trump giving a speech at the unification church it only proves that birds of a feather flock together.
Aly Rustom
That’s probably other stuff you said it just proves that the LDP and Abe Follow the dogma of the church while at the same time preaching right wing ultranationalism to the followers. This is why this is such a big news and this is why the LDP and it’s current leaders are now having to explain their ties to the church. And on top of that even if you can find one or two members from the Japanese communist party and the Democratic Party of Japan who have ties to the church it is certainly not the same as more than half of the LDP having ties to the church-
And if you can establish that any of their family members helped the church gain a foothold in Japan the way Abe’s grandfather did, well then we can start to make a comparison.
Also important mention the Democratic Party of Japan and the Japanese communist party never ran on a nationalistic agenda the way to LDP in general and,Abe in particular, did.
Aly Rustom
Oh and I should apologize to you for making you wait almost an hour before answering- I was having lunch.
I will answer all your posts more promptly. Apologies again
kennyG
Kishi Nobusuke, Abe’s GF did not bring UC into Japan. They had been already here. Kishi got to know UC through then- big boss of ultrarightists, Ryouichi Sasagawa after UC legally became a certified religious organization here in Japan. Even before that happened, UC had already built ties with US president Eizenhower. Literally every Republican US presidents, since then, had some form of ties with UC, among them R.W.Leagan, G.H.W.Bush, G.W Bush , D.Trump are famous, If you want to call them all birds of a feather flock together.
What was it UC could link itself with historical republican US presidents and with Sasagawa, KIshi in Japan? It is that they shared Anti-communism of those days and the existence of KCIA backed up by CIA. UC' anti-communism has been long dead though since it built ties with NK in 90's. It's been reported the chance Abe somehow started interacting with UC is when his 2nd term (2013~) started. Not only Abe but his predecessors, two other ex-PMs were all equally beware of the church because of sensationally accused spiritual sales scandals. Hence, 3 Japanese PMs rejected the request for speeches made by UPF Japan (led by Masayoshi Kajikuri who was the 12th chairman of UC Japan branch), the story of D.Trump comes up...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brHD4SP2OOc
Such dogma, i.e., through Korean Adam and Japanese Eve story, Japan must be subservient to Korea, which is actually creed version of UC's dogma, Practically UC indoctrinated Japanese followers by in-printing them that Japan committed so much sins over Korea by invasion, exploitation, comfort women, slave labors that you all have to redeem eternal debt to Korea by giving up everything you own.
There's no chance Abe believed in and supported this kind of dogma at the same time as confronting Korean narratives all these years.
Both LDP and UC used each other, especially for LDP, UC provided big chunk of organized votes and their followers' free help for election/political campaigns. For UC, they can survive and proceed with their Japan's branch mission to collect as much money as possible endlessly which is their core of funding their activities.
Aly Rustom
I’m sorry but you cannot rewrite history. It is a fact that Abe’s grandfather Kishi Did in fact pave the way for the church to not only enter Japan but become as influential as it did. As for Abe not believing in their doctrine that Actually doesn’t matter anymore because the man is dead. And it also doesn’t matter because she lent them support. So whether or not he actually believed in what the church was preaching is a moot point. But I’ve never heard of people giving money or other kinds of support to charities or religious organizations whose policies and beliefs run opposite to their own. Also it is important to know that his grandfather his father and he himself all held close ties to the church. That is undeniable. As for the other people who had ties to the church such as Eisenhower and others unless you can actually prove that the church had some sway in US politics it is certainly not the same thing
Aly Rustom
Do you ever think that I keep having to point out again and again is that the LDP used nationalism and stoked hatred against Koreans for their political base. Abe was especially guilty of that during his second tenure as Prime Minister. So the fact that it turns out that not only is he but almost everyone in his cabinet and indeed most of the LDP have close ties to a church that Spews that kind of rhetoric against Japan Calling for it to be subservient to Korea is in itself a betrayal of the Japanese people and indeed to the right wing base.
kennyG
Something to prove such narrative? any link? excluding what I have already mentioned, anti-communism which was a big sales point for those days
I remember you touched upon such a moot point then, like those right-wingers cannot stomach the fact Abe believed in and supported their dogma that Japan must be subservient to Korea due to Korean Adam and Japanese Eve.
Abe families giving money to UC?, is that what you mean? never heard of it either. Care to prove?
I think I have been saying from the beginning that Abe himself did not know nor care about superficial dogma like Adam and Eve relationship to make Japan subservient to Korea, not to mention how actually UC has been accusing Japan in order to indoctrinate Japanese followers. He was not Hatoyama who actually looked like so.
Unfortunately, nothing has been proven illegal. Media simply use the word " Ties" but the depth of ties vary among them, which include those, not just one or two, but 20 from CDPJ for example.
The number-count doesn't matter. The depth does. Not surprising at all, the leech like UC would try to approach to then-rulers for their mission as using politicians of ruling party as their ad-towers is the most efficient in order to increase their Japanese followers and collect money.
I don't believe Moon's bluffs saying " I am deciding Japanese PM" as proven Abe's father could not become PM after all. Of course it depends on how exactly you mean by " sway by UC " in Japanese politics.
Aly Rustom
Yes if you go to Nobusuke Kishi Media page is pretty much tells you his link with moon.
Moons unification church was built on land that was owned by Kishi
And on top of that the page also goes to talk about how moon was given support help and immunity by the LDP particularly Kishi.
On top of that when moon was arrested in the United States for tax evasion Kishi Tried to lobby the US president to let him go. This is something unheard of. Since when do Japanese Prime Ministers try to lobby the US presidents to pardon criminals in the United States? They don’t even do that for Japanese citizens and yet Kishi not only did it, he did it for a foreign national
Aly Rustom
Nothing will ever be proven illegal in Japan because the prosecutors and the politicians the bureaucrats and the business people are all in bed together. We pretty much saw that with the Carlos affair
Aly Rustom
we’re gonna have to agree to disagree here are the numbers do matter. And if the opposition has shown to have as many people with ties to this Unification Church you guys would have been screaming for their heads from day one. The fact that it’s the LDP Does not mean you can gloss over the idea that more than half of them have ties to the church.
As for the depth, you couldn’t get closer than the founder and Abe’s grandfather. That’s established.
Know what? Not only did they do that, the ruling party let them do that and they covered it up and kept it real quiet until the top man was going down
Aly Rustom
You may choose to not believe it, That’s your own personal choice. But that doesn’t mean it’s not true
kennyG
If LDP used nationalism and stoked hatred against Koreans, it basically contradicts your assertion that PM like Abe believed in UC's dogma. Regardless, I never agree he stoked hatred against Koreans during his 1~3 terms. It is South Korea, inept governments that has been swung around by liars, and pro-NK factions. You may want to check what is happening every Wednesday in front of Japanese embassy in Seoul these days. That is a fight between themselves who are telling truths and who are heavily brainwashed by liars.
Oh by the way, Nationalism is not a bad thing.
Close ties? How do you define it? Receiving free help like telephone call operators, putting candidates posters here and there all around your towns, giving speeches to their events or taking interviews in their monthly magazines? Nothing illegal, except some specific functions in election campaigns like translator-jobs which you must be paid...
Yet, I agree LDP has been long idiotically warming itself for free like a damn by this easy-Kotatsu prepared by UC which is why its supporting rate has dropped this hard.
Aly Rustom
What how? Like a receipt? Are you being serious now?
He was worse. What makes you think he didn’t know the dogma of the church inside out? If his whole family had ties to the church all the way from his grandfather and his father how could he not know? You’re just in denial.
As for Hatoyama, Dig a little deeper. You’ll find that his ties to the church were forged when he was in the LDP. It’s starting to look more and more like just like Nippon Kaigi, in order to be a influential person in the LDP you have to be on good terms with the unification church. And this is not hyperbole.
Aly Rustom
Neurologist means that he was a ruthless politician who was willing to do anything to stay in power. he was willing to manipulate the right wing and he was successful . It means the man had no moral compass -he didn’t believe in anything. Since because that makes him exactly the same as Trump
You might want to check what’s going on in front of Korean schools by the right wing threatening small elementary school children. It’s all over YouTube.
Tell that to the people who died in World War II and their families that suffered afterwards as well as all the Japanese people that suffered after the second world war due to stupid nationalism. That’s not just Japan. All around the world nationalism has done nothing but breed hatred.
Love your country Kenny. I do. You may not believe me but I do love Japan. My wife and children are Japanese. I care about this country. But that doesn’t mean that I have to think that it’s better Then other countries nor do I have to hate people who are not Japanese or think less of them. I nationalist can never say that
Aly Rustom
Sorry I meant to say no it just means that
Aly Rustom
all of these things are considered close ties. However some more than others are problematic. The problem that I have is that the LDP still not being completely transparent with regards to their ties to the church. They’re not giving us the whole story. And until they do, I can’t answer that question for you because we don’t have that information. If they gave us information completely we can sit down and assess it and see if it is indeed as problematic as it appears to be. But the fact that they are not being transparent is very worrying and suspicious
Well Kenny I’m very glad to see that we can agree on that.
Well Kenny I’m very glad to see that we can agree on that.
By the way my offer will always stand for us to sit down have a coffee and a civilized chat. We don’t have to become friends or like each other but sometimes it’s good to sit with someone you disagree with and iron out your differences. I’m willing to learn from you if you’re willing to do the same.
kennyG
No. It was not owned by Kishi. In 1954 Kishi rent THAT land from actress Mieko Takahashi and used his own and for guest house but returned it when he retired. When UC moved its HQ to THAT Land, it was owned by Mieko Takahashi
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/24fc6e045776bfdaab7b45fd33c6c52e5f8ad6c0
He was not PM any longer when he did that. And I don't know and actually don't care why he did that which after all ended up in vain.
Besides, whatever Grand father did or thought of, you don't have to scale up as much as his ground would do as much.
kennyG
Again. The Leech approaches to rulers.
They are all dead long time ago.
I have no idea what you mean by the ruling party let them do that and they covered it up and kept it real quiet until the top man was going down. Care to link?
Aly Rustom
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/24fc6e045776bfdaab7b45fd33c6c52e5f8ad6c0
It was owned previously by him. And he used his political capital to help the church get established on that land
So fine you may not care. But the ties to the church are there established within the Abe family. Whether or not he was Prime Minister at the time and whether or not it was all in vain is completely beside the point. But the fact of the matter is, is that he was close and tight with money enough to try to intervene on his behalf. But it is also established that grandfather gave a lot of political immunity to moon in Japan
Aly Rustom
So what? Does that make it OK? Plus just because they’re dead doesn’t mean that they’re dead doesn’t mean their Legacy does not live on in those alive today
It means that the LDP allowed the church to continue to exert influence on Japanese politics and that was kept hidden from the public until Abe was killed
>
wallace
It is not illegal for anyone to donate money or time to a political party. The rules of the LDP are what is wrong and need to be changed to prevent donations like from the Unification Church.
The Unification did not do anything illegal. Immoral maybe. For the church to be banned will require evidence of crimes.
kennyG
So LDP asks (more like begs?) NK to launch missiles when it needs to distract the populace or around the time of election... ? Buwahahaha.
Michael Machida
His days are numbered. Bye Bye!
bo
The public has never trusted they just accept and obey, much like other nations.
kurisupisu
its strange that a massively expensive funeral could be organized for Abe, within days, yet there is total failure to solve the many chronic problems facing Japan?
Aly Rustom
That's what I'm thinking
kennyG
Lots of LDP lawmakers had ties with UC that doesn't mean LDP has been in the pocket of UC
Aly Rustom
You know- NK's missile tests are strangely timed. If I'm not mistaken, the last couple were just before a general election, REALLY helping the LDP win seats, and now, with Kishida on the ropes and needing a distraction..
It just almost seems like those launches happen at a time to get the public behind the LDP whenever they get in trouble.
Spitfire
@aly rushton,
I noticed that as well.
It always seemed to happen when Abe was on the ropes as well.
Another scandal another ICBM to deflect the media’s focus.
Maybe the UC connection to the LDP and the Koreas runs much deeper than we all hunk if that is even possible.
Gary Kirkpatrick
Abe and Kishida. The Tweedlee and Tweedledumb of Japanese politics. Unfortunately, the opposition is the Tweedledumber. Oh, for some competent leaders who aren't tainted by and mired in scandals from the get-go.
Aly Rustom
Noda was what is called an assassin candidate. He deliberately sabotaged the DPJ to give Abe the momentum to win back the election. He was in cahoots with the LDP.
Is there ANYONE in the LDP who does not stink of corruption? Sorry guys. Dumb question.
Abe234
The opposition is so fragmented I think a bowl of Rice crispies would have a better chance of working together and becoming the next government in waiting.
news flash.
Someone, in the opposition rice crispie party is very very upset and is leaving to creat their own party. Called the choco crispie party.
That’s how useful they are.