One Month Since Former Pm Abe's Fatal Shooting
One month has passed since former prime minister Abe Shinzo was fatally shot during a campaign event. The incident continues to fuel speculation about ties between a religious group and prominent politicians.
Mourners visited the site of the shooting early Monday and observed a moment of silence.
Abe was shot while he was giving a campaign speech on behalf of a candidate from his Liberal Democratic Party ahead of an Upper House election.
The suspect, Yamagami Tetsuya, reportedly told police that he was motivated by a grudge against the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, previously known as the Unification Church.
He says he shot Abe because he believed the former prime minister had ties with the group. He says his mother donated huge sums of money to the church, bringing his family close to financial ruin.
Since Abe's death, a number of politicians have admitted to past ties with the group.
Miyajima Yoshifumi is a former Upper House member from the LDP. He says a group affiliated with the church helped him during an election in 2016.
NHK spoke to a former staff member of Miyajima's office. The official claims a Diet member introduced Miyajima to the group, saying it could potentially help with his campaign.
The staff member says the group kept in regular contact with Miyajima after his election victory, and that Miyajima gave speeches at the group's events.
The church has issued a statement in response to the revelations about its ties with politicians. It says it has never offered systematic support for any particular party or candidate. But it adds this may not be the case for its affiliates.
One expert says it is important to expose the group's ties with politicians. Ritsumeikan University Professor Kamikubo Masato said connections with politicians help the group gain social credibility. He added that the group needs to be recognized as one that carries out anti-social acts, and politicians should cut their ties with it.
Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has called on members of the LDP to review their relations with the church to end any speculation about its influence on the party.