Japan PM shaken as list of lawmakers linked to Unification Church grows – The Mainichi

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1. The latest total is 7 out of 20 ministers, and 20 out of 54 vice ministers linked to the Unification Church.

   [Ministers:](https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/wlnw4m/four_more_members_of_pm_kishidas_new_cabinet/)

   * Kato Katsunobu (Health, Labour and Welfare) – Motegi Faction

   * Yamagiwa Daishiro (Economic Recovery) – Aso Faction

   * Terada Minoru (Internal Affairs and Communications) – Kishida Faction

   * Takaichi Sanae (Economic Security) – LDP, no faction

   * Hayashi Yoshimasa (Foreign Affairs) – Kishida Faction

   * Nishimura Akihiro (Environment) – Abe Faction

   * Okada Naoki (Countryside Revitalization) – Abe Faction

   It initially seemed as though one of the purposes of the cabinet shuffle was so that Kishida could distance his administration from the Unification Church, but that doesn’t appear to be the case anymore. If anything, this has only brought more attention to the issue.

   **Bonus:** Journalist Suzuki Eito recently [uploaded what is described to be a photograph](https://twitter.com/cult_and_fraud/status/1556792126347743233) of PM Kishida with an official from the Unification Church. There will probably be reporting on this within the next few days.

   **Edit:** Read this [Daily Beast article](https://www.thedailybeast.com/shinzo-abes-assassin-tetsuya-yamagami-succeeds-in-plot-to-expose-japans-deep-ties-with-unification-church) if you don’t know what the deal is with the Unification Church and Japanese politics. It’s quite thorough.