"Seven out of ten oppose the director"…Why Japanese public opinion turned after mourning Abe's death

Japanese Media: "Relationship Between Former PM Abe and Unification Church Revealed, Opposition Growing"

On the 22nd of last month, protesters gathered in front of the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Tokyo, Japan, to protest the Cabinet's decision to hold a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Opinions are divided within Japan over the decision to hold the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as a state funeral. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has repeatedly emphasized that holding a state funeral is appropriate, but facing a sharp drop in approval ratings and lukewarm public opinion, he is showing subtle shifts in his stance.

At a press conference marking the launch of his new cabinet on the 10th, Prime Minister Kishida instructed a strict response regarding the Unification Church (formerly known as the Unification Church), which has emerged as a social issue following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Regarding the state funeral, he explained, "Condolences are being expressed from various countries, and it was judged appropriate to hold the funeral as an official national event, inviting representatives from each country."

However, despite Kishida’s repeated emphasis, voices opposing the state funeral are growing louder within Japan. Earlier, Jiji Press reported that the relationship between former Prime Minister Abe and the Unification Church is fueling opposition to the state funeral.

Also, due to the Japanese social atmosphere that avoids disrespecting the deceased, it was difficult to voice opposition immediately after Abe’s death, but as time passed, some people have expressed resentment toward the compulsory nature of the memorial, which seems to be influencing public opinion.

Public opinion polls also show a slight lead in opposition to the state funeral. According to a poll released by Japan’s TBS on the 8th, 45% of respondents opposed the state funeral for former Prime Minister Abe, surpassing the 42% who supported it. In a Kyodo News poll conducted at the end of last month, opposition responses were 53.3%, higher than the 45.1% in favor.

In this situation, the media reported that as former Prime Minister Abe and other key Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) figures became embroiled in controversies over ties with the Unification Church, voices questioning the validity of holding the state funeral have grown louder.

The Unification Church is the religious group that Tetsuya Yamagami, who assassinated former Prime Minister Abe, held a grudge against. Yamagami’s mother reportedly sold her house and land to donate 100 million yen (approximately 1 billion KRW) to the Unification Church, which led to financial hardship, and she eventually went bankrupt due to being unable to pay 700,000 yen in monthly rent.

Former Prime Minister Abe became a target because his maternal grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, a former Japanese prime minister, had ties with the Unification Church. Yamagami reportedly stated during police investigations, "I thought former Prime Minister Kishi Nobusuke had connections with a certain religious group, so I assumed former Prime Minister Abe was also connected." Since then, suspicions of collusion between the Unification Church and Japanese political circles have intensified, with Japanese media such as NHK reporting that the Unification Church is involved not only in election funding and organization but also in the ideological foundation of the party.

Given this situation, concerns about the state funeral have also emerged within the LDP. A mid-level LDP lawmaker told Jiji Press, "In September, when the state funeral is held, seven out of ten people will oppose it." Another mid-level LDP lawmaker said, "Following the Moritomo Gakuen scandal, Abe’s suspicious connections have drawn attention, changing public opinion. Even senior government officials are troubled by the mixed discussions about the Unification Church."

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is delivering a speech at a joint press conference with Indonesian President Joko Widodo held at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on the 27th of last month. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Prime Minister Kishida also appears to be aware of the changing public opinion. At a press conference on the 14th of last month, when announcing the state funeral, he praised Abe’s achievements in economic revitalization and diplomatic relations, saying, "His contributions were truly remarkable." However, at a press conference on the 6th, he took a more cautious stance, stating, "His domestic and international achievements have been pointed out, and especially there are positive evaluations from abroad."

Meanwhile, according to Mainichi Shimbun, in the large-scale cabinet reshuffle conducted on the 10th, seven ministers, including Defense Minister Kishi and Economic Revitalization Minister Hagiuda, who admitted their ties with the Unification Church, were replaced.