Support for Japanese PM Kishida drops on church and Covid questions

Support for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government has plummeted, hit by questions about the ruling party’s ties to the Unification Church and its response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a public opinion poll.

Ties to the church founded in South Korea in the 1950s and famous for its mass weddings have become a headache for Kishida since July 8, when former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed. alleged killer said his mother was bankrupt by the church and blamed Abe for promoting her.

According to a weekend poll by the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper, support for Kishida fell to 36% from 52% a month ago, the lowest since he took office in October last year.

Those who believe ties between the Unification Church and Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are “an extreme problem” or “somewhat troublesome” scored 87%. Only 4% believe there is no problem.

Kishida reorganized his ministry on Aug. 10 and removed some members with ties to the church in a bid to bolster support, but 68% of respondents said they did not approve of the change, versus just 16% who supported it.

Speaking to reporters on Monday via an electronic screen after contracting Covid-19, Kishida said there was no organizational-level connection between the LDP and the Unification Church, adding that lawmakers needed to clarify and explain their connections with the group. religious.

He declined to comment on the poll numbers.

New coronavirus cases remain persistently high, leading 55% of respondents to say they do not approve of the government’s handling of the situation. On Sunday, Kishida himself tested positive, forcing him to cancel a trip to an aid conference in Tunisia.