TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio on Thursday denied having ties with the Unification Church, following a news report that he had met with people related to the controversial religious group in 2019.

The Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun reported in its Thursday morning edition that former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich had been accompanied by Unification Church-related people during a meeting with Kishida.

Even if Gingrich was accompanied by people related to the religious group, “it’s not true that I’m associated with Unification Church,” Kishida told reporters at the prime minister’s office.

Kishida met with Gingrich when he was policy chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

While noting that he is aware of the news article, Kishida said, “My recognition that I don’t know who the accompanying people were doesn’t change.”

Kishida added that he is trying to contact Gingrich to look into details.

JIJI Press