Japan's political system has been exposed for its dark connections to a Christian cult, the Unification Church, after the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. Tetsuya Yamagami, who killed Abe with a homemade gun, is now standing trial, but many see Japan's entire political system as the true defendant.
The Unification Church, founded by Korean preacher Sun Myung Moon in 1954, has a long history of manipulative fundraising and exploitation in Japan. Moon's teachings emphasized the need for material sacrifice to cleanse Japan's spiritual corruption and unite the Korean peninsula. The church's methods were ruthlessly effective, preying on the country's post-war anxieties and exploiting its colonial past.
The connection between the Unification Church and Abe's family is particularly significant. Abe's grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, was a key figure in establishing the church's influence in Japan, granting it political protection in exchange for his anti-left-wing organizing. The arrangement worked perfectly for decades, with the Unification Church offering a disciplined network of volunteers who filled rallies and campaigns.
Moon's movement funneled billions of dollars to fund his American interests, creating a lucrative network of mutually beneficial corruption that became part of Japan's political DNA. Many Japanese saw Abe as a symbol of this system's oppression, particularly after his family lost their livelihoods due to the church's activities.
Yamagami, who was drawn into the Unification Church through his mother's involvement and suffered personal tragedy as a result, took revenge on the organization that he blamed for his family's downfall. His trial has exposed the dark underbelly of Japan's politics, with nearly half of the ruling party having ties to the church.
The case is being heard by three professional judges and six ordinary citizens, who will spotlight "religious abuse" and the deep connections between the Unification Church and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The verdict is scheduled for January 2026, but Yamagami's legacy is already uncertain. His mother, Ako, a key witness in his defense, has refused to address the root causes of her son's actions, leaving him with little hope for leniency.
As Japan grapples with its political establishment and Abe's assassination, it remains bound to a "one-and-a-half" party system where real power is rarely transferred or held accountable. The case serves as a reminder that the country's reckoning with its past is far from over.
The Unification Church, founded by Korean preacher Sun Myung Moon in 1954, has a long history of manipulative fundraising and exploitation in Japan. Moon's teachings emphasized the need for material sacrifice to cleanse Japan's spiritual corruption and unite the Korean peninsula. The church's methods were ruthlessly effective, preying on the country's post-war anxieties and exploiting its colonial past.
The connection between the Unification Church and Abe's family is particularly significant. Abe's grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, was a key figure in establishing the church's influence in Japan, granting it political protection in exchange for his anti-left-wing organizing. The arrangement worked perfectly for decades, with the Unification Church offering a disciplined network of volunteers who filled rallies and campaigns.
Moon's movement funneled billions of dollars to fund his American interests, creating a lucrative network of mutually beneficial corruption that became part of Japan's political DNA. Many Japanese saw Abe as a symbol of this system's oppression, particularly after his family lost their livelihoods due to the church's activities.
Yamagami, who was drawn into the Unification Church through his mother's involvement and suffered personal tragedy as a result, took revenge on the organization that he blamed for his family's downfall. His trial has exposed the dark underbelly of Japan's politics, with nearly half of the ruling party having ties to the church.
The case is being heard by three professional judges and six ordinary citizens, who will spotlight "religious abuse" and the deep connections between the Unification Church and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The verdict is scheduled for January 2026, but Yamagami's legacy is already uncertain. His mother, Ako, a key witness in his defense, has refused to address the root causes of her son's actions, leaving him with little hope for leniency.
As Japan grapples with its political establishment and Abe's assassination, it remains bound to a "one-and-a-half" party system where real power is rarely transferred or held accountable. The case serves as a reminder that the country's reckoning with its past is far from over.
, and it made me think, have you guys ever tried those new matcha-flavored Kit Kats? I mean, they're pretty good, but not as good as the ones in Japan, obvs 
. Anyway, back to Abe's assassination... it's crazy how some people can take revenge on an entire system that's supposed to be there for them 
. Reminds me of my neighbor who always leaves his trash cans out after garbage day, and I'm like, "Dude, what's the harm?" 
it feels like japan is still dealing with the aftermath of war, all these old issues and connections are coming back to haunt them 
and his policies were super helpful for the church's interests. Meanwhile, Yamagami just took matters into his own hands, which isn't an excuse, but I get why he felt like he had to 
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. The two-party system is basically a joke and real power always seems to slip through the cracks 
. We'll be stuck in this mess for a while yet, I'm sure 
plus they've been accused of exploiting people's anxieties and colonial pasts 
abe's family is like, directly connected to the church and his granddad was even involved in giving them protection from the govt 
which is wild because now japan's all trying to figure out how Abe's assassination relates to this whole cult thing 
and it looks like the unification church has ties to almost half of japans ruling party 
Japan needs to take a hard look at its system and make some serious changes to prevent this kind of thing from happening again. it's not just about Abe or his family, but about the entire country's ability to hold its leaders accountable 
I remember watching this guy Tetsuya Yamagami go on trial and thinking he was just some crazy dude who lost his family to the Unification Church... but now I'm not so sure 
. My aunt went through a similar thing with this church when she was younger, my mom even got scammed out of like 10k yen once 
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. It's like, how did this all go down without anyone speaking out sooner? 
. And now Yamagami's mom won't talk about it... what's going on?! 
This trial better be thorough, or else Japan will never get to the bottom of this stuff 
. its no wonder people are still reeling from abe's assassination and the fact that nearly half of the ruling party has ties to the church is just mind-blowing 
. how can you not see the corruption? 
the fact that Abe's family was so deeply entrenched in it, losing everything because of their "loyalty" is just devastating 
his mom refusing to address the issue is like, totally unfair to him & his legacy 
, and I gotta say it's pretty wild. Japan's whole political system being tied to a cult? That's some crazy stuff. It sounds like the Unification Church was basically running the show behind the scenes for years, and that Abe family connection is just the tip of the iceberg.
. The verdict is going to be super interesting, especially with the ordinary citizens on the panel – I wonder if they'll actually hold the powers that be accountable 
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. Hopefully, his trial will lead to some real reckoning and a shift away from the corrupt practices that have plagued Japan for so long 
. But with the verdict delayed until January 2026, I'm not holding my breath 
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. i feel bad for Abe's family, especially his mom, but come on, Ako, get real... 
and can we please just have a fair trial without all these extra judges and citizens as witnesses? it's gonna be ages before this verdict comes out and even then who knows if justice will actually be served 
. But at what cost, right? The whole thing just feels so... calculated 
. But I'm skeptical it'll happen anytime soon 
and honestly who can blame tetsuya yamagami for taking revenge on the unification church? his family was basically ruined by them 
it's wild that his own grandpa was involved with the church and got them protection in return for being anti-left-wing 
but it's too little, too late.
. it's like they're just going through the motions without any real accountability 
. we'll have to see what happens when the verdict comes out in january... but i'm not holding my breath