Posted on 09/03/2022 7:42:57 PM PDT by FarCenter
TOKYO -- The separation of politics and religion ordained by the Japanese constitution "is not meant to foreclose political activities by religious institutions," Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently said.
The statement, in a written reply to a reporter's question, was made Aug. 15 amid growing public awareness of connections between the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, more commonly known by its former name the Unification Church, and the governing Liberal Democratic Party.
"Political activities by religious groups are guaranteed by the constitution," Natsuo Yamaguchi, president of Komeito, said at a press conference on Aug. 23. The party, LDP's junior coalition partner, is backed by religious group Soka Gakkai. The current constitution has no provision banning religious institutions' involvement in political activities.
In the post-World War II era, Japan has strictly restricted politics from intervening in religious matters. Article 20 of the constitution bans the state from giving privileges to any religious group or taking part in any religious activity.
This is because in the prewar era, the state, together with state-sponsored religion Shinto, compelled people to take part in religious ceremonies as a means to control the citizens.
In 1945, after Japan's defeat in the war, the General Headquarters of the occupation disbanded Japan's state-sponsored Shinto religion. Japan was encouraged to become a more secular nation under the new constitution.
The removal of religion from people's decision-making and actions served as the foundation for nurturing the free and democratic sense of values that underpinned postwar Japan.
...
According to a 2018 survey by the Institute of Statistical Mathematics, just 26% of respondents in Japan believed in one or another religion. This stands in contrast to the U.S., where 70% recognized themselves as Christians, according to a 2020 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute of the U.S.
(Excerpt) Read more at asia.nikkei.com ...
“26% of respondents in Japan believed in one or another religion. This stands in contrast to the U.S., where 70% recognized themselves as Christians”
Would be interesting to see a Japanese perspective on this statistic.
I had no idea the Moonies were that wrapped up in Japanese politics prior to Abe’s assassination. Kind of ironic, given Korean distaste for what the Japanese did to their women.
"That's a mouse with a glandular disease!"
Nagasaki had the highest number of Christians in Japan per capita, but sadly, 10,000 of the 15,000 were killed at the end of WW2.
I actually saw Sun Yung Moon at Madison Square Garden. I was living in NYC at the time and they blanketed the city with flyers. Had nothing to do that day, so figured what the heck - free show.
Was appalled at the haranguing - left after about a half-hour.
He later held his mass wedding there.
Part of my work on that cult, by the grace of God, before article revision by a Moonies: https://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Unificationism&diff=747113&oldid=747110
Next the Japanese will be allowing the sale of Kahr firearms there (because Kahr is owned by Jason Moon, son of Sun Yung Moon).
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