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2026 January 21 - 27 [POLITICS]

Unification Church’s political wing campaigning for election victory of Takaichi gov’t

Can the Liberal Democratic Party cut its ties with the Unification Church (Family Federation for World Peace and Unification)?

With the dissolution of the House of Representatives and a general election approaching, Akahata has learned that the Unification Church’s political organization, the International Federation for Victory over Communism (IFVC), is conducting street campaigns in support of the LDP-Ishin government led by Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae.

Raising their organizational flags, IFVC activists are giving speeches urging voters to protect Japan from the threat of communism in the upcoming election. They are also distributing leaflets reading, “Protect the Japanese people from the covert actions of spies!”

In the past, the IFVC spearheaded a campaign calling for the enactment of an anti-espionage law. In 1985, the proposed bill was actually submitted to the Diet with the involvement of the LDP. However, met with fierce public opposition due to concerns over the suppression of free speech and the creation of a surveillance state, the bill was dropped.

Forty years later, in May 2025, an LDP policymaking council proposed the enactment of an anti-espionage law. Takaichi took the initiative in this move. Supplementary forces to the Takaichi government such as the “Ishin” party, the Democratic Party for the People, and the “Sanseito” party are also actively pushing for the law’s enactment.

One reason cited for a snap election is to evade Diet questioning regarding Takaichi’s connection with the Unification Church.

Akahata obtained an internal document titled “TM Special Report,” dated August 12, 2021, which was submitted to Hak Ja Han, leader of the Unification Church. TM stands for True Mother.

The report stated, “Given that former Prime Minister Abe is a figure close to us, Takaichi becoming LDP president could be interpreted as Heaven’s greatest wish fulfilled.” This reveals the Unification Church’s strong expectations for Takaichi who was a candidate in the LDP presidential election at that time.

Past related article:
> PM Takaichi plans to call snap election supposedly to avoid Diet questioning about LDP’s ties with Moonies [January 14, 2026]