Local time on August 31, 2022, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio bowed and apologized at a press conference on the issue of "Unified Education". (Visual China/Photo)
The political shock wave triggered by the assassination of Shinzo Abe is still fluctuating, and the support rate of Kishida Fumio government has set a record low since taking office in October 2021.
Japan's Asahi Shimbun released the poll results on September 12, 2022, saying that the current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's approval rating has dropped to 41%.
"The relationship between the 'Unified Church' and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party is a very serious problem." According to the Asahi Shimbun, about 87% of respondents believe that the Liberal Democratic Party is too close to the "Unified Church". In order to win back the public's expectations, the Liberal Democratic Party launched an internal investigation, and 179 of the party's 379 MPs had intersections with the "Unified Education".
Abe 's death unveiled the dark side of "unified religion" in making money, cheating and interfering in politics.
The origin of a shooting case
Local time on July 8, 2022, Shinzo Abe was shot while giving a speech near a station in Nara City. He died after being sent to the hospital. The gunman was a retired Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, Yamakami.
"I am dissatisfied with Shinzo Abe and want to kill him." According to Japan's NHK TV station, Yamakami was also arrested and confessed his motive for the crime.
41-year-old Shiro Yamakami was also raised in a wealthy family. However, after her mother Yoko Yamagami converted to the "United Church" in 1996, in order to express her "loyalty", she not only sold the land that Yamagami also inherited from her grandfather's generation, but also sold the single-family house where she lived with her three children.
's generous donation to "Unified Education" eventually led to Yamashita's mother 's mother being sentenced to bankruptcy in 2002. Therefore, Yamatsu also resented the "Unified Church" and even more hated politicians who had close ties with the "Unified Church".
"Uniform Church" Japanese church president Toyohiro Tanaka admitted that Yamakami's mother was also a member of "Uniform Church" and participated in church activities once a month, but refused to disclose the specific amount of donations.
At the Tokyo press conference in July 2022, Tohiro Tanaka praised Shinzo Abe for promoting the so-called " World Peace Movement ", while leaving out his relationship with Shinzo Abe. "Shizo Abe is not a registered member and has never become our consultant."
But Shinzo Yamakami also believes that it is Shinzo Abe who promoted the proliferation of "unified religion" in Japan. So he pointed the muzzle of his homemade pistol at Shinzo Abe.
Abe family has a deep connection with the "Unified Education". During his tenure as Prime Minister of Japan from 1957 to 1960, his grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, had contact with Wen Xianning, the founder of the Unified Church.
During the two campaigns for membership, the "United Church" was also revealed by " Yomiuri Shimbun " as one of the financial backers behind Abe's campaign. After resigning as prime minister in August 2020, Shinzo Abe's relationship with the "Unified Church" is no longer hidden.
On September 12, 2021, Shinzo Abe delivered a video speech to the World Peace Association (UPF) supported by the "Unified Church". Before being assassinated, he also attended a paid speech by the "Uniform Church".
publicly serves as a "unified education" platform and offends the victims and lawyers. Japan's "National Inspiration Business Law Countermeasures Lawyer Liaison Conference" delivered an open letter to protest Shinzo Abe's speech and called on other politicians not to support "unified education."
Shinzo Abe has also been criticized for providing a protective umbrella for "unified education". In the "Report on Public Security Situation at Home and International Japan", the Public Security Bureau of the country described in 2005 and 2006 that "a group that deviates from social common sense as its code of conduct", that is, "a special group". However, the above two documents do not clearly indicate "Unified Church", but only say that "a new organization is established in our country for the purpose of unifying Japan, South Korea and North Korea." This is very reminiscent of "unified religion".
However, by 2017, the "Special Group" item had been deleted by the report. In September 2006, after Shinzo Abe was elected prime minister for the first time, he revised the report and explained that "the content that needs to be published in a timely manner based on the social security situation."
"Non-monetary relations" are more valuable
Now, the assassination of Shinzo Abe has also tore open the tip of the iceberg of "unified religion" interfering in politics in Japan.
"'Uniform Church' has provided firm financial support and vote support to the ruling party. In the past few decades, the relationship between the affiliated groups of the 'Uniform Church' and the Liberal Democratic Party members has developed in this way." said Masaki Kito, a Japanese lawyer and religious expert.
For politicians, the ability to gather voting in "Unified Church" is quite attractive. For "Unified Church", showing its relationship with political leaders also helps improve its social reputation.
"More importantly, religious groups can provide a group of very reliable voters. They will definitely come out to vote on Election Day, will definitely vote for your political party, and can provide volunteers for your campaign." The British " Financial Times " quoted Jeffrey J Hall, an expert in nationalism at Kanda Foreign Studies University in Japan, as saying.
's strict management of political campaigns makes it difficult for Japanese politicians to establish direct connections with voters. Therefore, the "non-monetary relationship" provided by "Unified Education" is more valuable. But after Abe was assassinated, the "Uniform Church" has always denied providing political donations to the Liberal Democratic Party.
"I know some former members of the 'United Church' who helped me during the election. I guess there are some situations that they voluntarily, such as telephone support services. Since I am participating in the election, I think it is necessary to gather a large number of supporters." Shinzo Abe's younger brother Nobuo Kishi also publicly admitted.
According to the internal "self-correction and self-inspection" investigation currently initiated by the Liberal Democratic Party, 179 of its 379 members of Congress have had an affair with the "Uniform Education". Among them, monetary support and election mobilization are the two main forms of interaction between the above-mentioned parliamentarians and the "Uniform Church".
The above survey also shows that the Prime Minister assisted the official Nobuo Kishi and the President of Political Commitment, Koichi Hagida, and others, and received organized election support and mobilization from the "United Education". 29 people, including former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shimoshita, and the original Science Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Hiromitsu, Shimomura, and Hiromitsu, received donations from the "Uniform Education". Minister of Health, Labor and Work Department Kato Katsunobu , Minister of General Affairs Minor Terada and 49 others paid membership fees to groups such as "Uniform Church".
This means that they become members of the "United Church". In political return, the Liberal Democratic Party members who have been kind enough to stand up for the "unified education". Among them, 10 people including Isozaki Hitohiko and other deputy chief of the official office attended various meetings hosted by the "Unified Education". 20 people including Yamashiro Oishi and his minister of economic regeneration delivered keynote speeches at the "Unified Education" meeting. As for the short speeches, as many as 96 people were given.
"At first, we thought that only the Qingwahui (Abe faction) had a close relationship with the 'Unified Church' and did not realize it was a 'the problem of the entire Liberal Democratic Party'." Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun quoted a Liberal Democratic Party leader.
Liberal Democratic Party survey showed that nearly half of the ruling party members had an affair with the "Uniform Church", and many cabinet ministers, deputy cabinet ministers and government officials were involved, causing the Japanese website Friday Digital to satirize the Liberal Democratic Party government as the "Kishida Unified Church Cabinet."
"self-correction and self-inspection" originally intended to win back the public's expectations, but many Japanese people are even more disappointed with the ruling party. At the press conference on August 31, 2022, Fumio Kishida bowed heavily, apologized for the "intersection" between the Liberal Democratic Party and the "Unified Church" and stated that all ties with the "Unified Church" will be cut off.
"For decades, it has a close relationship with the powerful figures in the Liberal Democratic Party and has become an open secret that few people discuss in Japanese politics. It is very difficult for the Liberal Democratic Party to completely cut it off." said Ko Aki Nishida, an expert in cult psychology research at Ritsusu University in Japan.
"Transnational Wedding", "Collective Wedding" and human trafficking
Assassination of Shinzo Abe also unveiled the dark side of the "unified religion" infiltrating the Japanese political arena. Many Japanese people also participated in the protests, opposing Shinzo Abe's "state funeral" and demanded that the gunman Yamakami also be reduced. On social media, some victims have also accused various bad behaviors such as "unified education" of making money and cheating sex.
"Unified religion, the General Union of Korea in Japan and human rights activists in Japan are all scammers, and their words of benevolence, righteousness and morality are actually engaged in human trafficking." A woman named "Back to Wanhua" tells the story of her sister being deceived to South Korea.
In 2014, the sister of the morning house Wanhua was in the third grade of college at that time. One day, while the latter was resting on a bench on the campus, a Korean student came to pick up and persuaded her to participate in the "Study on Peace Movement Workshop". The
workshop mainly spreads "how Japan tortures Koreans in history", but it actually belongs to the peripheral organization of "unified education". After rounds of "brainwashing", Fang Wanhua's sister said, "I feel shame as a Japanese. Japan's prosperity today is based on the sacrifice of Koreans."
Soon, my sister began to abandon her studies, learn Korean , and became addicted to "unified teaching" propaganda materials such as "Theory of Depravity" and "Theory of Principles". Later, the "sister" attended another "transnational wedding".
After marrying into rural South Korea, my sister kept writing letters asking her family in Japan to send her money. In order to explore the true situation of her sister in South Korea, Zaofang Wanhua went to South Korea alone.
After coming to South Korea, the scene in front of him shocked Zaofang Wanhua: Not only was the "in-law's family" very poor, but the 25-year-old college sister actually married a Korean farmer in her 40s.
"This ugly country bumpkin actually said that it cost me to marry your sister." Zaofang Wanhua recalled that her so-called "brother-in-law" said vulgarly, "I'm lucky. This 'Japanese girl' has a good figure, and I got a big advantage."
Usually, Korean men who believe in "Unified Education" have to pay "marriage fees", and married Japanese women also have to pay "atonement fees" ranging from 2 million to 4 million won to "Unified Education".
When Fang Wanhua persuaded his sister to return to China, he was rejected, "In the past, the Japanese committed heinous crimes in South Korea, and we should atone for sins."
Through historical issues, the "Unified Church" brainwashed the victims of Japanese women and gave them a sense of atonement. In this way, thousands of Japanese women were sold to South Korea as goods, and the latter has always been troubled by the "bachelor" issue.
According to the official website, "Uniform Education" is good at holding "collective weddings" in large gyms, and is named "Holy Marriage Blessing Ceremony".
It also claims that through this "union across national boundaries" it can give birth to "children without original sin", and then establish "the kingdom of God" and achieve "world peace". However, most male and female believers of the "Uniform Church" not only did not meet their partners before getting married, but they did not even know the other party's nationality.
For many years, " transnational marriage " has been the main business of "unified education". According to a report by the Japanese Weekly Post in May 2011, at least more than 7,000 Japanese women were deceived into rural South Korea by "United Education". The number
is considered too conservative. In 1988, of the 6,600 marriages designated by the "Uniform Church", 2,639 pairs belonging to Japanese women to marry Korean men. On August 25, 1992, at the Olympic Stadium in Seoul, South Korea, "Uniform Church" hosted a large-scale group wedding of more than 30,000 people. At least half of the brides came from neighboring countries such as Japan.
By 2006, in the marriage of the "United Church" organization, the combination of "Korean Husband + Japanese Wife" had exceeded 60%.
Among the transnational marriages of many "United Church" organizations, the Japanese film and television star Atsuko Sakurada is particularly dazzling. When she was young, she was once called "Great 2 and 3" with Yamaguchi Momoe and Morimako . In June 1992, under the "guidance" of the leader of the "Unified Church", Junko Sakurada married an ordinary Korean employee.
Transnational marriage is just one of the channels for "unified education" to make money. Inducing believers to pay " tithes " and donate property is the more common way of making money for the organization. According to statistics from Japan's "National Inspiration Business Law Countermeasure Lawyer Liaison Conference", in the past 30 years, the organization has requested "Uniform Education" compensation on behalf of victims for more than 123 billion yen.
Recently, the gunman Yamakami, who assassinated Shinzo Abe, also said that the "Uniform Cult" persuaded his mother to donate about 100 million yen of property.
After completing the original accumulation of capital through various improper channels, the "unified teaching" began to "whitewash". At present, it not only operates many trading companies such as Tongil, but mainly engages in cross-border transactions of ginseng, flowers, honey, guns and other products, and its followers are responsible for selling them to others. In recent years, "Unified Church" has also entered the food, shipbuilding and media industries of the United States, Japan and South Korea.
caters to the needs of conservative politics
"Unified Education" has developed into an international transnational organization. Judging from the speech of the organization's spokesman Ahn Ho-yeul in Seoul, South Korea, Japan is only the organization's "fourth largest division" in the world, with about 600,000 members.
Globally, "Unified Church" claimed to have more than 3 million believers as early as 2012, and its missionary institutions cover 194 countries and regions. In September of the same year, after Wen Xianming passed away, his wife and son competed for leadership of the church, and his son was forced to withdraw and start another church.
For a moment, the "Unified Education" fell to a low point. However, the ability to make money, win over political leaders, and cater to the political needs of conservatives quickly made the "unified religion" rekindled in many countries.
In Japan, right-wing politicians from Kishi Nobusuke to Shinzo Abe all stand for it. In South Korea, the sister of former President Park Geun-hye was revealed to be also a member of the "United Church". In 2012, former US President Donald Trump attended a meeting organized by Wen Xianming's widow Han Hezi.
During his lifetime, Wen Xianming had a relationship with many presidents such as Nixon , Reagan, George Bush, and others. In recent years, American politicians such as former US Vice Presidents Mike Pence and Dick Cheney have also frequently appeared in the "Unified Education" activities.
According to Reuters , the younger brother of the current US President Biden , Jimmy Biden and son Hunter Biden (Hunter Biden ) also have business dealings with "Uniform Church". In September 2006, the two acquired Paradigm Global Advisors, a hedge fund company, from Wen Xianming's son-in-law James Park.
targets the upper class of the United States, Japan and South Korea, and "unified religion" often uses money temptations and votes to win over. However, in the face of ordinary people in the above three countries, the "Uniform Church" adopted different strategies to cater to its conservative ideology .
In Japan, it promotes the "Atonement Theory" with the help of old historical grievances; in the United States, it combines the violent culture of the United States and supports the conservatives' gun-holding policy. According to the " Washington Post ", a branch of the "United Church" in the United States engages in arms worship. It weaves bullets into a crown and regards AR-15 as the "holy rod".
In South Korea, "Unified Church" focuses on promoting narrow nationalism. In the 1980s, when "Unified Church" invited Michael Jackson to hold a concert in South Korea, it required the star to wear traditional Korean clothes and sing the Korean national anthem. After being rejected by Jackson , Jackson and his family were sued for sky-high compensation.
Korea is also the origin of the "United Church". In 1954, Wen Xianming, who was 34 years old, founded the "World Christian Unified Gods Association" (referred to as "Unified Church") in Busan, South Korea, and was renamed the "World Peaceful Reunification Family Federation" in 1999.
According to public information, Wen Xianming, whose original name is Wen Longming. In February 1920, he was born in a peasant family in Dingju County, North Ping'an Province, North Korea. His whole family believed in the "Presbyterian Church". Later, he claimed that he climbed a hill at the age of 15 and was given the "Divine Show of Jesus " and began to preach.
At that time, the married "Incarnation of Jesus" forced a marriage to Kim in Pyongyang, North Korea. After being reported by the latter's husband, Wen Xianming was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for bigamy.
1950, after the outbreak of Korean War , Wen Xianming found an opportunity to flee to South Korea and founded the "Uniform Church" in 1954. In 1960, Wen Xianming, who was 40 years old, married Han Hezi, 17 years old, and claimed to be a "holy marriage".
Wenming is clear about the lifestyle is corrupt.According to the British " Guardian ", he was surrounded by six women who were given the title of "Mary". He also lured other beautiful female believers to "sacrifice the body" in a preface called "spiritual purification".
According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, in the 1950s, Moon Xianming was once recruited as a "double spy" by the US Central Intelligence Agency and the South Korean intelligence agencies. During this period, he took the opportunity to bring the "Unified Church" to Japan, and immigrated to the United States with his family in the 1960s. In just a few years, he has developed more than 50,000 believers in the United States.
During the missionary process, Wen Xianming can be said to have both wealth and sex. According to Therichest statistics, Wen Xianming's personal property during his lifetime exceeded US$900 million. When he died in 2012, 32,000 Japanese believers who came to pay their respects donated another 3.8 billion yen.
Currently, "Unified Education" is facing tens of thousands of legal lawsuits. In 1989, U.S. Supreme Court requested compensation lawsuits filed by former believers against the "Uniform Church". According to the " New York Times ", from 1973 to 1986, at least 400 "Unified Church" believers accepted the compulsory "dismissal procedure". In Japan, "Uniform Church" faces at least 35,000 claims.
"It is not a religious group at all, but a cult organization that is greedy for money, but no one has touched on this issue." Nishida Ko Aki, an expert in cult psychology at St. Joseph University in Japan, criticized, "For a long time, the Japanese government and media have turned a blind eye to the 'unified religion' and its ties with the political circles."
At the end of the last century, "unified religion" once penetrated northeast China under the name of investment, sponsorship, tourism, visits, etc. According to China Anti-Cult Network , as early as May 6, 1997, the Ministry of Public Security designated the "Unified Cult" originating in South Korea as a cult organization in its approval documents to the public security departments of 10 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities including Jilin.
Special written by Southern Weekend Xiong Yanni
