<figure id="attachment_260339" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-260339" style="width: 3000px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="faa61534"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2022/08/aflo_192670710.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-260339" class="wp-caption-text">Current policy chief Hagiwada entered a speech in support of Akiko Ikuina&#8217;s candidacy in this summer&#8217;s Upper House election&#8230;</figcaption></figure>
 Former Onyanko Club member Akiko Ikuina, who ran for the upper house election from the Tokyo electoral district and was elected for the first time, was interviewed by the press on August 18. The matter has become an issue because Kōichi Hagiuda, the political policy chief, had taken her to visit a facility affiliated with the former Unification Church and asked her for support.
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
 After admitting that he and Political Advisor Hagiuda visited the former Unification Church-affiliated facilities together, he said
 I didn&#8217;t see anything at all at the time, because I always move around like that without looking at anything, so I didn&#8217;t know about it,&#8221; he said.
 I didn&#8217;t know that I was visiting a church-related facility,&#8221; she said.
 Speaking of Mr. Hagiuda, who &#8220;guided&#8221; her to the former Unification Church, he said at a press conference on August 2, &#8220;I am not dating a member of the Unification Church knowingly, and there may have been such a person among the local people. However, it is possible that this was a outright lie.
 However, this may have been a outright lie.
<div data-friday-ad-slot="AD_inArticle"></div>
 Weekly Shincho reported that in the past, he visited a church facility in Hachioji City once or twice a month and gave speeches to dozens of followers. Furthermore, before the Upper House election, he reportedly visited Unification Church-related facilities in Hachioji City, accompanied by Ikume, to request support.
 Consumer Affairs Minister Taro Kono has raised his profile by launching a countermeasure against the Unification Church&#8217;s psychic business practices as soon as he took office, but many lawmakers are dodging the issue, saying they were unaware of the Unification Church and were associating with it. According to a survey of Diet members conducted by Kyodo News, &#8220;106 Diet members had contacts with the former Unification Church, and 80% were from the Liberal Democratic Party.
 This is a result only for those who answered truthfully. Some members of the Diet did not respond to the survey, saying that they were &#8220;still investigating&#8221; or that they did not have time. I believe that contacts with the Unification Church are just the tip of the iceberg.
 The Unification Church is based on the idea that &#8220;Japan did terrible things to Korea during the war, so we must continue to donate money to atone for our sins. The family of Tetsuya Yamagami, the suspect in the shooting of former Prime Minister Abe, is also bankrupt after selling their land and house and donating approximately 100 million yen.
 Did Mr. Hagiuda continue to associate with such an organization even though he was aware of its existence? According to Shincho, Mr. Hagiuda has attended barbecue parties and other events that serve as Sunday services, and those involved with the cult even say that they consider him &#8220;like family. Although Mr. Hagiuda denies it, if he knew about the donations and went along with them, he could be called a &#8220;traitor.
 Mr. Ikuina, in his first election, may be in a situation where he cannot refuse to be taken anywhere by a big-name legislator such as Mr. Hagiuda. Speaking of Mr. Ikuina, it was once reported that he had refused all interviews with various stations during the campaign period. The staff of his campaign office later protested that he simply did not have enough time.
 During his first appearance before the Diet during a special session, Mr. Ikume avoided the main gate of the Diet, where the press was waiting for him, and entered the Diet from a different location. It is not surprising that he was clearly avoiding something. It is undeniable that the Unification Church, which considers Mr. Hagiuda &#8220;like family,&#8221; may have helped him win the election.
 (TV station reporter) &#8220;In a questionnaire survey in the meeting materials of the Japan Association of Parliamentarians for World Peace, for which Hosoda serves as honorary chairman, there is the following question
 &#8220;Please indicate if there is any member of the House of Councillors who would like to support the Coalition for World Peace in the next House of Councillors election in your local constituency.
 The survey clearly stated, &#8220;If there is any member of the House of Councillors who would like to support the Japan Coalition for World Peace in the next House of Councillors election, please indicate so.
 We must not forget until the next election that some members of the Diet, who represent the people, have received support from the Unification Church to become members of the Diet.

 Afro

 On March 18, House of Councilors member Akiko Ikuina was interviewed by reporters about her relationship with the former Unification Church. The person who guided her to the church's facility is said to be LDP policy chief Hagiuda, who is at the center of the LDP...

Hagiuda Labeled a “Traitor” for Guiding Akiko Ikuta to the Unification Church

Access Ranking