Japan PM Kishida apologizes for party's church links, will cut ties

The suspect arrested at the scene allegedly told police he killed Abe because of his apparent link to the church

Fumio Kishida, Japanese PM, Japan, quad
Japan PM Kishida apologizes for party's church links.
AP Tokyo
1 min read Last Updated : Aug 31 2022 | 10:27 AM IST

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida says his ruling party will cut ties with the Unification Church following a widening scandal trigged by former leader Shinzo Abe's assassination last month.

Widespread cozy ties between members of Kishida governing Liberal Democratic Party and the church have surfaced since Abe was shot to death while giving a campaign speech in July.

The suspect arrested at the scene allegedly told police he killed Abe because of his apparent link to the church.

Dozens of LDP members have since acknowledged their ties to the church and related organisations.

Kishida shuffled his Cabinet earlier in August to purge seven ministers linked to the groups, but more ministers and their aides have since admitted their ties.

Kishida also apologised over the loss of public trust in politics because of the scandal and his lack of explanation for hosting a state funeral for Abe.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Quarterly Starter

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

Save 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

Topics :JapanShinzo AbeChurch

First Published: Aug 31 2022 | 10:27 AM IST

Next Story