'Religious Second Generation' Issue Emerges... Sympathy Public Opinion Spreads
Expert Expresses Concern Over "Possibility of Copycat Crimes"
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] "The heroic act of Yamagami is purifying Japan. He is a true patriot."
Within Japan, sympathy for Yamagami Tetsuya, who assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last July, is growing, sparking a petition campaign to reduce his sentence. This is interpreted as a result of him bringing the issue of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (Unification Church) to light and effectively exposing dissatisfaction with former Prime Minister Abe and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). However, concerns about potential copycat crimes are also emerging within Japan.
◆Called a hero in detention... Petition for sentence reduction also underway
A petition demanding a sentence reduction for Tetsuya Yamagami, who assassinated former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (Photo by change.org)
Japanese media outlet Shukan Bunshun reported on the 27th of last month about Yamagami’s life in detention under the title "Yamagami Tetsuya’s Prison Diary." Yamagami is currently detained at Osaka Detention Center after fatally shooting former Prime Minister Abe during an election campaign in Nara Prefecture on July 8 last year.
According to the report, Yamagami is a focus of attention among inmates and is called a "martyr" and "hero." This is because he revealed the collusion between the LDP and the Unification Church and attacked former Prime Minister Abe, who was widely disliked by the public. Yamagami stated that his motive was rooted in resentment toward the Unification Church after his mother became a member and donated large sums of money, which led to his family’s bankruptcy.
Currently, food and clothing continue to be sent to Yamagami. Most of these come from supporters who have no personal acquaintance with him rather than acquaintances. A detention center official told Shukan Bunshun, "Most inmates are dissatisfied with the system, so they say it took great courage to assassinate the prime minister," adding, "Some even say they want to swap their sentences with his."
Yamagami’s great uncle also said, "I receive food and letters asking me to convey their support to him, though they don’t know how they got my address," and added, "Prepaid cards usable at convenience stores have also arrived, asking for efforts on Yamagami’s behalf."
Sympathy is also spreading online. On his birthday, September 10 last year, numerous posts with the hashtag ‘Yamagami Tetsuya Birthday’ appeared on social media, accompanied by messages of "Happy Birthday" and "We love you."
A petition demanding a sentence reduction was posted on an online signature site, with 10,299 people signing as of the 2nd. The petitioner appealed, "This incident has exposed the problems faced by ‘second-generation believers’ raised by parents who believe in new religions, including the Unification Church," and added, "Many people are cornered by their parents’ faith. Please consider this situation and make a lenient judgment."
◆Phenomenon driven by resentment toward Abe and LDP... Experts express concerns
The phenomenon of viewing Yamagami as a hero is evaluated as being linked to resentment toward former Prime Minister Abe and the ruling LDP. During the COVID-19 response, Abe faced criticism for policy failures such as mask controversies, causing his approval ratings to plummet to a historic low in the 20% range. Scandals like the Moritomo and Kake Gakuen issues and the cherry blossom viewing party controversy also worsened public opinion. The strong opposition to Abe’s state funeral was not unrelated to these factors.
The issue of second-generation believers also surfaced due to this incident. Local governments have distributed guidelines to prevent child abuse caused by parental religious coercion, and a bill to support victims of the Unification Church passed the House of Councillors.
The ‘sympathy for Yamagami’ born from anger toward the prime minister and ruling party is now targeting Prime Minister Kishida beyond Abe. As suspicions about the LDP’s ties to the Unification Church grow, officials in the Kishida Cabinet who provided funding to the Unification Church have also become subjects of controversy. In response, on the 27th of last month, Prime Minister Kishida replaced Minister of Reconstruction Akiba Genya, who was suspected of making payments to the Unification Church.
However, experts warn that this sympathy could lead to copycat crimes. Nobuo Komiya, professor of criminology at Rissho University, told Sankei Shimbun, "Even if there were family and religious issues, that is just self-justification," and expressed concern, "We must be vigilant because people who define Yamagami as a revolutionary leader and follow him may appear."
Yasuyuki Deguchi, professor of criminal psychology at Tokyo Future University, also emphasized to Jiji Press, "While it is possible to support him out of sympathy, it should not lead to justifying crimes."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
