Jesus wept!
| Submit your comments on this article |
| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Shinzo Abe: Unification Church distances itself from assassination |
| 2022-07-12 |
| [DW] Fingers were pointed to the church as the alleged shooter of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said the church drove his mother into bankruptcy. The Japanese branch of the South Korean Unification Church acknowledged on Monday that the mother of the man arrested for the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was indeed a member, but said that neither the suspect himself nor Abe had been. Abe was shot on Friday during a campaign speech in western Japan by who the police identified as a 41-year-old unemployed man who had previously been part of the country's navy. The alleged shooter told police that he had targeted Abe because he believed the former prime minister had promoted a religious group to which his mother had made a large donation, driving her into bankruptcy. "Trying to understand how such hatred may have possibly led to the killing is totally perplexing," the head of the church, Tomihiro Tanaka, told news hounds in Tokyo. While denying that Abe was a member, however, he said that the former prime minister had supported the church in promoting peace. WHAT IS THE UNIFICATION CHURCH? Japanese media had pointed to the church, known fully as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification The church was founded in 1954. Its founder, the self-declared messiah and ardent anti-communist from South Korea, Sun Myung Moon also ran a business empire. Critics have long called the church a cult and questioned where its financing comes from. Abe, the longest-serving prime minister in Japan's history, attended an event held by an organization with connections to the church last September where he gave a speech praising that organization's work in promoting peace in South Korea. DONATIONS SCANDALS Church head Tanaka confirmed that some people make generous donations, but on a voluntary basis. "The amount of donations is up to each individual,'' he said. "We are grateful to those who give large donations, but nothing is required." He acknowledged several scandals related to donations in the past but said there had not been any problems since measures were set up in 2009. A spokesperson for the church said that it has around 300,000 followers in Japan and up to 200,000 in South Korea. Its appeal in Japan has attracted celebrities as well as the attention of politicians who seek to court its influence. Related: Shinzo Abe: 2022-07-11 Nara police chief admits security failure, takes responsibility for Shinzo Abe's death Shinzo Abe: 2022-07-09 Shinzo Abe's body returns home: Hearse carrying former prime minister arrives at his Tokyo residence a day after he was assassinated during campaign speech in western Japan Shinzo Abe: 2022-07-09 The main thing is for the night. Friday, July 8 |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #3 ^ That's supposed to be the second coming. |
| Posted by: Dron66046 2022-07-12 09:53 |
| #2 Jesus wept! |
| Posted by: Dron66046 2022-07-12 09:52 |
| #1 Shinzo Abe funeral: Mourners line streets to bid farewell to Japan's longest-serving prime minister |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2022-07-12 09:30 |