Japan premier shakes up cabinet amid outcry over party ties to Unification Church

Reuters:

TOKYO, Aug 10 – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida reshuffled his cabinet on Wednesday, removing some ministers with links to the Unification Church after a growing backlash over the ruling party’s ties to the controversial group triggered a slump in public support.

Kishida announced his new government team in a shake-up that came earlier than analysts had expected, underscoring how lawmakers’ ties to the church have become a liability for the premier less than a year

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Some key cabinet members, such as the foreign and finance ministers, held on to their posts. But other high-profile ministers were removed, including the younger brother of slain former premier Shinzo Abe, Nobuo Kishi, who was replaced as defence minister.

Abe’s suspected killer has said his mother was a Unification Church member bankrupted by donating to it, and blamed Abe for promoting the group.

In the latest survey, Kishida’s support had fallen to 46% from 59% just three weeks ago, public broadcaster NHK said on Monday, the lowest rating since he became prime minister.

“Criticism over the Unification Church caused a big drop in public support for the administration and stopping that decline was a big reason for bringing forward the reshuffle of the cabinet and major party positions,” said Shigenobu Tamura, a political commentator who previously worked for the LDP.

fter he came to power.