Japan PM orders probe of Unification Church problems

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has ordered an investigation into the Unification Church. The move may be aimed at calming public outrage over his governing party’s cozy ties with the controversial group, which were revealed in the wake of the former leader Shinzo Abe’s assassination. Kishida has come under fire and his government’s support ratings have nosedived over his handling of the church controversy. Kishida said a government hotline set up for the problem received more than 1,700 cases of complaints and inquiries related to the church. Kishida told a parliamentary committee meeting Monday that he has instructed the Education and Culture Minister to prepare an investigation into the church under the Religious Corporations Act.