After weeks of controversy, Daishiro Yamagiwa tendered his resignation. He was photographed in the company of Hak Ja Han, the leader of the religious group. The opposition does not seem able to take advantage of the situation. Ministry of Education: Before the end of the year, the request for the dissolution of the Church founded by Reverend Moon will be presented.
Milan () – After weeks of controversy, the Minister for Economic Renewal of Japan tendered his resignation. Daishiro Yamagiwa, under pressure for his ties to the Unification Church, is the first member of Kishida’s cabinet to resign following Abe’s assassination last July, which exposed ties between the controversial religious group and the Liberal Democratic Party. PLD).
Until recently, Yamagiwa claimed not to remember attending meetings organized by the Unification Church. But she had to retract the evidence: several photos – which went viral – show him next to Hak Ja Han, leader of the religious group founded by her husband, Reverend Moon.
Yamagiwa’s resignation comes at a critical time, considering the Kishida administration’s approval rating. The latest polls show a sharp decline in his discharge approval, now approaching 30%: a dangerous threshold, below which a Japanese executive risks falling.
A major factor in the government’s falling popularity is the deep ties between the LDP and the Unification Church, which recently came to light. The practices of the religious group towards its members have left national public opinion dismayed.
After submitting his resignation on October 24, Yamagiwa apologized for causing trouble for the government. “I am sorry that I have given credibility to the Unification Church by participating in its meetings, from now on I will be vigilant so that it does not happen again,” Yamagiwa told reporters.
The opposition did not miss the opportunity and attacked the executive. After Yamagiwa admitted his ties to the disputed religious group, in early October the leader of Japan’s Constitutional Democratic Party, Izumi Kenta, harshly criticized the prime minister. “There are more and more voices calling for Yamagiwa to resign,” Izumi said, referring to the official’s excuses regarding his meeting with Unification Church leaders and concealing ties until everything came to light. He then asked the premier to remove the minister from office.
Yamagiwa’s resignation is a victory for the opposition, but for now it seems unlikely that the government will fall despite its evident weakening. Kishida has made numerous missteps in recent months (the appointment of his son as assistant and the state funeral for Abe, among others). Added to this is an endless series of new revelations about the links between the LDP and the Unification Church.
However, the current situation is unlikely to favor the opposition: the division that reigns within it makes it unable to find a common strategy to defeat the Liberal Democrats.
The next elections will be in 2025 and it seems that the ruling party is not yet concerned about the drop in support. Many members of the LDP think that the scandal of the relations with the Unification Church will eventually die down, although it will be difficult to achieve it. Therefore, it is possible that Kishida will remain in office.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the possible dissolution of the religious group is in its final stretch. Just yesterday, the process began for the Ministry of Education and Culture to ask the court for an order of dissolution before the end of the year.
