Rumors of Cabinet Resignation in Kishida Administration Again: "Unification Church Ties"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Akiba Genya, the Minister of Reconstruction who has been under pressure to resign over political funding issues, is facing a downfall amid controversy over his ties with the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church, hereafter Family Federation), which is expected to deal a significant blow to the Kishida Fumio Cabinet.

According to the Asahi Shimbun on the 26th, Akiba revealed in a political funding report released the previous day that the Liberal Democratic Party Miyagi Prefecture 2nd Electoral District branch, which he represents, paid a membership fee of 24,000 yen (about 230 USD) on July 20 last year to the "World Peace Federation Miyagi Prefecture Federation." The recipient organization is presumed to be a friendly group affiliated with the Family Federation.

Akiba’s office explained that "the membership fee was mistakenly recorded as a magazine subscription fee" and said they would correct the report.

When Akiba was appointed as a minister in August, he stated at a press conference that he had "never paid any membership fees" to the Family Federation, so the opposition parties are expected to intensify their demands for his dismissal, the newspaper reported.

The controversy over ties between the ruling party and the Family Federation became a major issue in Japanese politics after the assassin of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo in July claimed that his family was destroyed because of the Family Federation.

If Akiba’s resignation becomes a reality, it is expected that as many as four ministers will have stepped down from the Kishida administration.

Earlier, Representative Yamagawa Daishiro resigned from his position as Minister for Economic Revitalization on the 24th of last month after it was confirmed that he attended Family Federation events.

Then, on the 11th of this month, former Justice Minister Hanashi Yasuhiro was dismissed over remarks that he only appears when "stamping the execution of death sentences," and on the 20th, former Minister of Internal Affairs Terada Minoru fell from office due to political funding issues.

Akiba is facing intense attacks from opposition lawmakers not only over his ties with the Family Federation but also regarding allegations that he paid election campaign wages to two secretaries last year, among other political funding issues.

The Asahi Shimbun reported, "The opposition will strongly question Minister Akiba at the Budget Committee next week," adding that "there is a growing view within the Liberal Democratic Party that this could lead to the fourth ministerial resignation."