moonies

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe sent congratulatory cable to Unification Church

Victims of manipulative sales of religious icons and other unjustifiable activities of the Unification Church have been sternly criticizing Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe Shinzo and other Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers for sending congratulatory cables to the antisocial anti-communist organization.

Abe Shinzo, Former Justice Minister Yasuoka Koji, and other lawmakers of the LDP sent congratulatory cables to the Unification Church's conventions held in May in Japan. Abe used his title as the chief cabinet secretary in the message.

The May 14 issue of the South Korean daily Segye Ilbo (The Sekai Nippo), a subsidiary organ of the Unification Church, reported this, and on June 19 Abe himself confirmed that his office had sent the message.

The National Association of Families of Victims of the Unification Church, the National Network of Lawyers against Spiritual Sales, and the liaison council of six Christian organizations concerned with Unification Church issues on June 19 made public a joint statement of protest and sent an open letter of inquiry to Abe and Yasuoka.

The statement pointed out that by sending the cables, Abe and Yasuoka are supporting the Unification Church's activities and that the Unification Church is making full use of their names in their advertising campaign. These organizations requested Abe and others to explain why they sent the cables and whether their secretaries have connections with the Unification Church or not.

Yamaguchi Hiroshi on behalf of the lawyers' group stated at the press conference, "The Supreme Court ruled that the Unification Church's coerced recruiting tactics and their so-called 'spiritual sales' are illegal."

Jinbo Koji, the victims' association chair, warned that what Abe and other LDP politicians did will increase victims, and demanded that they resign as lawmakers.

The Unification Church was founded in South Korea in 1954 and came in Japan in 1959. It has many front organizations, including the anti-communist political group called the International Federation for Victory over Communism (IFVC).

In 2005, the lawyers' group had 1,900 cases of consultations with victims of the Unification Church's 'spiritual sales,' and the amount of damages totaled 2.8 billion yen.
- Akahata, June 13, 20, 2006