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TOKYO — Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who heads the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), mentioned on a recent TBS news broadcast that the “TM Special Report,” thought to be an internal publication from the Unification Church and implying connections with the LDP, was “undoubtedly false,” and “a document with unclear origins.” However, the report also includes factual claims, making her comments arguably “deceptive.”

A report emerged during an investigation conducted by South Korean prosecutors

Takaichi spoke during a party leaders’ discussion on the “News23” show aired on January 26, before the official launch of the House of Representatives election campaign. (The debate was filmed on January 25.)

In the show, Akiko Oishi, co-leader of the opposition party Reiwa Shinsengumi, said, “Both the LDP and (Nippon) Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party, or JIP) are currently involved in scandals. The JIP is avoiding payments for national health insurance premiums, and documents connecting the LDP to the Unification Church have been released.”

In reply, Takaichi stated, “That is slander,” and also mentioned it was “a document of unknown source.” When Oishi argued, “It has been reported by the media, so it cannot be defamation,” Takaichi maintained, “I have seen that so-called document, and it is clearly false.”

The document Takaichi referred to as having “unknown origins” emerged during a South Korean legal inquiry concerning Hak Ja Han, the leader of the former Unification Church, which is now officially called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. Han and others faced scrutiny regarding claims of supplying funds and items to the previous President Yoon Suk Yeol’s team. Han is currently facing trial on accusations including breaking the Political Funds Act.

The church has indicated that the report seems to be “internal documentation” that was found among the items confiscated by prosecutors from Yoon Young-ho, the former head of the church’s global headquarters, who is facing trial on allegations including breaking the Act on Improper Solicitation and Bribery.

Eiji Tokuno, who previously led the church’s branch in Japan, stated to the Mainichi Shimbun, “It is accurate that it encompasses my reports.”

In other words, the document in question was probably one of the items gathered by Yoon using information from Tokuno and others, which means it is not correct to claim the “source” is entirely unknown.

Some members of the LDP acknowledge the report’s details

It is correct that the report has some mistakes, as Takaichi mentioned, like identifying the prime minister’s home prefecture as “Kanagawa.” However, it also includes information that has been verified as accurate. For instance, former member of the House of Representatives, Akihisa Nagashima, who was referred to in the report as “from a matched (member) family,” confirmed this as true on X on January 7.

The report also mentioned that the wife of Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kei Sato participated in a Unification Church “support event.” When contacted by the Mainichi Shimbun, Sato confirmed, “It is true that my wife went on my behalf.”

Based on these facts, Takaichi’s claim that the report is “clearly incorrect” creates a significant possibility of misinterpretation, suggesting that everything in it is false. Consequently, her comments can be considered deceptive.

(A Japanese original by Tsuyoshi Fujita, Political News Department)