Japan’s Kishida apologizes for party members’ ties with Unification Church

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers a speech at his official residence in Tokyo, Japan July 14, 2022. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday that politicians had a duty of being cautious about their ties with various organizations and apologized for his party members’ reported activities with the controversial Unification Church.

“As head of the party, I offer my sincere apologies,” he told a news conference – his first in person upon emerging from COVID-19-imposed quarantine on Wednesday.

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