Japan's politics are being put to the test as the trial of Tetsuya Yamagami, the man who assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, continues to expose a web of deceit and corruption that has entangled the country's ruling party with a Christian cult for decades.
The Unification Church, founded by Korean preacher Sun Myung Moon in 1954, has been accused of exploiting Japan's vulnerable population, including single mothers and those struggling financially, to funnel money into its coffers. The church's influence on Japanese politics is so profound that nearly half the ruling party's lawmakers have ties to the organization.
Yamagami, who killed Abe in a public rally three years ago, claims his motivations were rooted in a deep-seated resentment towards the Unification Church and its leader, Moon's widow, Hak-ja Han. The assassination has shaken Japan to its core, sparking widespread outrage and calls for reform.
Abe's family had ties with the Unification Church through his grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, who granted the church protection in exchange for anti-left-wing organizing. This arrangement allowed the church to expand its influence across Japan, eventually becoming an integral part of the country's politics.
Yamagami’s mother Ako was initially drawn into the church after her husband took his own life, leaving their children with deep emotional scars. She joined the church and began donating money to support its activities. Her father's business also suffered as a result of the economic crisis that hit in 1997.
Yamagami himself opened a Twitter account and shared his story of pain and anger against the Unification Church, stating he was "no longer able to think about the political implications" of Abe's death.
The trial has shed light on Japan's complex relationship with its politics. The country is plagued by an opaque system where real power rarely changes hands. The assassination has brought a moral reckoning over the years-long connection between the Unification Church and the ruling party, which has been described as "one-and-a-half" due to a single dominant party holding near-monopoly on Japan's parliament.
A recent historic election saw Takaichi Sanae, Abe protégé and the country’s first female prime minister, become leader of Japan, despite her predecessor having the strongest backing from the Unification Church.
The Unification Church, founded by Korean preacher Sun Myung Moon in 1954, has been accused of exploiting Japan's vulnerable population, including single mothers and those struggling financially, to funnel money into its coffers. The church's influence on Japanese politics is so profound that nearly half the ruling party's lawmakers have ties to the organization.
Yamagami, who killed Abe in a public rally three years ago, claims his motivations were rooted in a deep-seated resentment towards the Unification Church and its leader, Moon's widow, Hak-ja Han. The assassination has shaken Japan to its core, sparking widespread outrage and calls for reform.
Abe's family had ties with the Unification Church through his grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, who granted the church protection in exchange for anti-left-wing organizing. This arrangement allowed the church to expand its influence across Japan, eventually becoming an integral part of the country's politics.
Yamagami’s mother Ako was initially drawn into the church after her husband took his own life, leaving their children with deep emotional scars. She joined the church and began donating money to support its activities. Her father's business also suffered as a result of the economic crisis that hit in 1997.
Yamagami himself opened a Twitter account and shared his story of pain and anger against the Unification Church, stating he was "no longer able to think about the political implications" of Abe's death.
The trial has shed light on Japan's complex relationship with its politics. The country is plagued by an opaque system where real power rarely changes hands. The assassination has brought a moral reckoning over the years-long connection between the Unification Church and the ruling party, which has been described as "one-and-a-half" due to a single dominant party holding near-monopoly on Japan's parliament.
A recent historic election saw Takaichi Sanae, Abe protégé and the country’s first female prime minister, become leader of Japan, despite her predecessor having the strongest backing from the Unification Church.
It's like they're brainwashed or something. And Abe's family being tied to it too, that's just messed up. The Unification Church exploiting single mothers and people struggling financially is just despicable. And the fact that Yamagami's whole story was like a ticking time bomb waiting to happen... I don't know how much more of this we can take. Japan needs real change, not just cosmetic reforms.
it's wild to think about how much influence a single cult can have on the country's politics 
like Abe's family had ties with the church since his grandfather was part of the organization, that's some crazy history 
and it's crazy how Yamagami's mom got drawn in after her husband took his own life 
, it just shows how vulnerable people can be when they're struggling financially 
and need a way out. 
and it's no wonder he was driven crazy by the church's manipulation. And can we talk about how Japan's politics are so opaque? Like, real power rarely changes hands? That's just not okay 
maybe this is the start of a change? Fingers crossed 
It's like our emotions can be so potent that they blind us to reality. We gotta ask ourselves, what does this say about our own relationship with power and influence? How do we navigate situations where our emotions might cloud our judgment? 
and i feel for abe's family too, but at the same time can't we talk about something else? 
anyway back to this - i think it's super important that people like yamagami are speaking out against these types of systemic issues. it's crazy how much influence money can have on politics 
and to think Abe's own family was all about it too 
what happened 2 that family? did they not notice the blood on their hands? 
also Sanae becoming PM despite the church's influence is just mind boggling... how long till this gets blown wide open? 
Japan's politics are literally a joke 
like who knew a cult could have such grip on power? 
and now Yamagami's mom was basically manipulated into supporting it by her own dad's business struggles 
And now they're exposing all these lawmakers with ties to the church? 
like, what a scandal! 
. It's like they're preying on people's emotions 
. The whole system feels so corrupt 
.
I guess it's no surprise that Abe's family had connections with the Unification Church too 
. It's like they were playing both sides, using their influence for personal gain 
.
I hope this trial brings about some real change in Japan 
. We need to see more transparency and accountability in politics 
. It's time for people like Takaichi Sanae to be held accountable for their actions 
.
that's been messin up politics for ages. Ties between politicians and these people is wild - like, nearly half the party is tied to 'em. How's that supposed to work? And then you got this dude Yamagami who goes off on his mom about how the church hurt him and now everyone's all shook up 
. I guess it's a good thing some ppl are speakin out, like with this Twitter account and all 
.
i'm still trying to wrap my head around how someone could go from being a vulnerable person to a full-blown assassin... 