TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio said Monday that it is important for cabinet members and Liberal Democratic Party executives to make sure to have no connections with the religious group known as the Unification Church.

Speaking to reporters online, Kishida made the remark in response to recent revelations that a number of cabinet members and LDP executives have had ties with the religious group, officially called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

Kishida noted that, when he reshuffled his cabinet and the LDP leadership team earlier this month, he instructed the members of the cabinet and the LDP leadership team to check whether they have any connections with the Unification Church and strictly review their relations, if any.

“We are receiving various opinions from the people over the Unification Church,” the prime minister said. “To secure trust in politics, politicians should consider how they should behave.”

Regarding calls for a legislative move to review the Unification Church’s corporate status, Kishida said he wants to deepen discussions on the matter and consider responses while listening to experts’ opinions.

As recent media polls have shown drops in public support for the Kishida cabinet, the prime minister said, “We must take seriously what the people point out.”

JIJI Press