Explainer-Why the Unification Church has become a headache for Japan's Kishida

FILE PHOTO: Fumio Kishida, Japan's Prime Minister and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks after placing a paper rose on an LDP candidate's name, to indicate a victory in the upper house election, at the party's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, July 10, 2022. Toru Hanai/Pool via REUTERS

Japan's Fumio Kishida is expected to reshuffle his cabinet on Wednesday, as his party's ties to the Unification Church have dented public support following the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe last month.

Abe's suspected killer bore a grudge against the church, alleging it bankrupted his mother, and blamed Abe for promoting it, according to his social media posts and news reports.