Photo/Illutration Koichi Hagiuda, the policy chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, talks to reporters about his relationship with the Unification Church at the LDP’s headquarters in Tokyo on Aug. 18. (Koichi Ueda)

The new chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s Policy Research Council knew he was at a gathering for the Unification Church’s associated organization ahead of the July 10 Upper House election.

“I went to the place, being aware that I was visiting a gathering of members of the Women’s Federation for World Peace, but I think (Akiko) Ikuina didn’t know that,” Koichi Hagiuda told reporters on Aug. 18 at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, referring to the associated organization of the Unification Church.

Hagiuda, who was economy minister at the time, visited a facility tied to the Unification Church--now formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification--in Hachioji, western Tokyo, with Upper House candidate Ikuina on June 18, four days before election campaigning began. 

Ikuina won a seat in the Tokyo electoral district in the Upper House election.

The facility, called a Hachioji family church, is in Hagiuda’s electoral district in Hachioji.

It has multiple entrances, but the name “The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification--The Hachioji Family Church” is displayed next to its front door.

Hagiuda explained to reporters that his connection with the WFWP started only because some of his supporters in his electoral district are members.

However, he admitted to having maintained his relationship with the group despite being aware of its possible connection with the Unification Church.

“The names (of the WFWP and the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification) are very similar, but I didn’t take the time to ask about it,” he told reporters.

In addition, it was found by Aug. 18 that Hagiuda continuously funded organizations tied to the Unification Church.

He paid 90,000 yen ($660) as a fee to the WFWP and other organizations believed to be associated to it.

He did this on six occasions from 2012 to 2019 through an organization to manage his funds called the “Hagiuda Koichi Supporters’ Association” and a local LDP branch.

When asked about these expenditures, Hagiuda said, “I sympathized with the activities (of the WFWP) to some degree and supported it. I heard there would be a charity party to support volunteers, so I paid to attend (the party).”

Ikuina stressed that she didn’t know she was visiting a facility of the Unification Church when she separately spoke to reporters at the LDP’s headquarters on Aug. 18.

She said it “was really only recently” that she found out.

Ikuina explained she became aware she had visited the Unification Church’s facility only after she followed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s order to LDP lawmakers to check their connections with the organization.

Hagiuda had stressed that he had only a minor relationship with the Unification Church.

On the revelation that he gave an opening speech at the organization’s event in October 2014, Hagiuda said at a news conference on Aug. 2: “It’s not that I have a relationship (with the Unification Church) knowing who they are. My understanding is that there could be such people associated (with the Unification Church) among people in my district.”

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