Minister denies politics played role in ex-Unification Church's name change
The religious group has been drawing attention since last month's fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.
The suspect in the shooting reportedly believed Abe was close to the group, now known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. He blamed it for the breakdown of his family.
Critics have charged that the Cultural Affairs Agency's approval of the religious group's name change resulted in more people falling victim to its marketing schemes and coercive donation drives.
Education minister Suematsu Shinsuke addressed the issue on Friday. His ministry oversees the Cultural Affairs Agency.
The group reportedly consulted the agency about a possible name change in 1997. But it didn't submit its filing until 2015, when Shimomura Hakubun was the education minister.
Suematsu said he doesn't know why the group waited until 2015 to file an application.
The education minister acknowledged that Shimomura was informed before the application was received and before it was approved. But he said these unusual steps were taken because the religious group was subject to high public attention.
He said he has confirmed with an agency official in charge at the time that Shimomura issued no instructions in the matter.
A number of politicians and Cabinet ministers have denied having close ties with the religious group since the shooting of Abe. ...continue reading

NHK - Aug 06
A Japanese Cabinet minister has denied that politics played any role in a decision by the government to certify the then-Unification Church's name change in 2015.

Kyodo - Aug 06
The Japanese government plans to roll out a new type of COVID-19 vaccine considered effective for the Omicron variant as early as October, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.

FRANCE 24 English - Aug 06
Japan's prime minister on Friday condemned China's firing of ballistic missiles during military drills around Taiwan, calling them a "serious problem that impacts our national security and the safety of our citizens."

South China Morning Post - Aug 05
Japan’s minister for gender equality and children’s issues, Seiko Noda, said that the country’s male-dominated parliament has treated its dramatic population decline with “indifference and ignorance”.

NHK - Aug 04
Tokyo has lodged a protest with Beijing, after multiple Chinese ballistic missiles landed within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone, amid large-scale military drills.

indiatimes.com - Aug 04
A Japanese journalist detained in Myanmar has been charged with breaching immigration law and encouraging dissent against the military, the junta said Thursday.

NHK - Aug 03
Japan's Upper House has dismissed a plan by a newly-elected opposition lawmaker to stay overseas during the extraordinary session that will open on Wednesday.

ABC News (Australia) - Aug 03
Japan has called on Myanmar's junta to release one of its citizens who was detained in Yangon after filming a demonstration. Meanwhile the country's military rulers are extending the state of emergency by another six months.

taiwannews.com.tw - Aug 02
Japan's average minimum wage is set to rise at a record pace this year, the government said on Tuesday, a positive development for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's efforts to cushion households from global commodity inflation.

NHK - Aug 02
A rapid surge in new cases of coronavirus infections is piling pressure on medical facilities and workers. Experts are calling for policy changes to help reduce this burden.

theguardian.com - Aug 01
Japan was still struggling to make sense of the violent death of Shinzo Abe when the man suspected of killing him gave police information that has sent shockwaves through the country’s political establishment.

Kyodo - Aug 01
A Japanese government panel is expected to propose raising the average minimum wage for fiscal 2022 by a record 30 yen or more from 930 yen ($7) an hour, sources familiar with the plan said Monday, as the country battles accelerating inflation.