Photo/Illutration Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears in a video message shown at an event organized by an associated organization of the Unification Church in South Korea in September 2021. (The Asahi Shimbun)

The Japanese words “tenken" and “chosa,” which are translated as "inspection" and "investigation," respectively, can actually take on quite different meanings depending on the context.

For instance, “erebeta no tenken” means "elevator inspection," evoking the image of an elevator undergoing a routine inspection.

But “erebeta no chosa” implies an "elevator mishap" that requires an investigation, not just a routine inspection.

On matters related to the former Unification Church, now formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, tenken--in the sense of a routine check--appears to be all the ruling Liberal Democratic Party intends to conduct.

During a recent news conference, LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi made a point of correcting a reporter who used the word chosa, insisting, “This is not an investigation.”

Is the LDP trying to downplay the issue? In saying “every legislator will inspect this in their own way,” Motegi effectively excluded anyone who is no longer living from the exercise.

There are testimonies that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe personally controlled the distribution of ballots to be collected through the Unification Church. Since he is dead, however, what he did is completely irrelevant, according to the LDP’s logic.

This is like ignoring a gas leak from a loose valve and simply asking everyone if they can smell gas.

Should the LDP start investigating in earnest, the party would be certain to antagonize conservatives who have always supported Abe. More than anything, the party must be worried about letting the opponents of the planned state funeral for Abe on Sept. 27 protest even more.

In refusing to consider any other form of a funeral for Abe, the LDP has only itself to blame for this conundrum.

Exposing Abe’s ties to the Unification Church does not equate to negating all of his achievements.

I, myself, laud him for trying to improve the economy while he was in office. On the other hand, however, there is no denying that Abe behaved blatantly counter to social morality and common decency with respect to the scandals involving school operator Moritomo Gakuen and the Kake Educational Institution.

Mourning the dead does not mean obscuring the achievements and failures of the deceased, but to properly acknowledge them and pray for the repose of their souls. This applies to everyone, not just Abe.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 2

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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