Posted on 07/20/2022 6:22:18 PM PDT by marshmallow
The chief of the Japan branch of the Unification Church denied Shinzo Abe was a member of the church
The man who fatally shot former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe suspected the slain politician was associated with the Unification Church, says a report.
Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, told the investigators that he learned about the former prime minister’s association with the religious group from an online video posted by the group last September, Kyodo News Agency reported July 13.
The former member of the Maritime Self-Defense Force reportedly watched the video message in March or April this year.
However, the Japanese branch of the Family Federation of World Peace and Unification, popularly known as the Unification Church, has denied Abe was a member of the church.
Yamagami shot the 67-year-old former premier twice from behind using a homemade gun during an election campaign at a train station in Nara city, the old capital of Japan, on July 8. Abe died shortly after he was rushed to a local hospital.
Security officials nabbed Yamagami immediately from the scene and handed him to prosecutors. He has been charged with suspicion of murder.
Police said Yamagami claimed he was not motivated by Abe’s politics, but he targeted Abe though his initial plan was to make an attempt on the life of an executive of the religious group.
(Excerpt) Read more at ucanews.com ...
The suspected shooter, Tetsuya Yamagami, told police that his mother had been financially ruined after being pressured to donate large sums of money to a religious group, according to Japanese news reports.
The Unification Church (Moonies) is Korean in origin. Koreans recall the horrors of the Japanese occupation of Korea.
Anti-religion, or anti elder abuse?
If true his mother went too far with donations/tithe he may have a legitimate gripe.
Too bad he took it out on the wrong guy.
Aren’t the Moonies the cult that had a compound and a dozen RR’s up in Oregon?
Wow, 93 Rolls!
And murder plots, LOTS of money involved.
Seems the details have come out and “Cult” is way too mild.
Seems the Moonies have a lot of similarities.
Yeah that whole story was (and IS) pretty wild. I remember when 60 Minutes had a segment or two on the Baghwan and his compound back in the late 1980s (1987 or 1988, if I recall correctly). Yes, “cult” doesn’t quite cover it. More like a cult mixed with an organized crime racket.
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