In Japan, ties between politics and religion run deep

In the wake of Shinzo Abe’s assassination last month, which the suspect claims was motivated by the former prime minister’s connection to the Unification Church, the relationship between Japanese politics and religion has come under increasing scrutiny — with experts suggesting that it is both widespread and pervasive.

On July 21, opposition parties led by the Japanese Communist Party began a probe into ties between the Unification Church and the nation’s lawmakers, including those from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.