At least 20 deputies of Japan Cabinet ministers found to have ties to Unification Church

At least 20 Japanese lawmakers appointed as deputies for Cabinet members confirmed Friday that they had links to a controversial religious group after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called for a self-check and review to appease a wary public.

The revelations add to evidence of what could be a deeply ingrained network of contact between ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers and the Unification Church. Seven newly appointed ministers have also acknowledged varying degrees of ties to the group, which has come under renewed scrutiny since the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.