Amid sliding approval ratings, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida apologised for his party's links with the controversial Unification Church, vowing to win back public trust by severing such ties and tightening vigilance over political activities.
Revelations of long-running links between some lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the church have become a headache for Kishida. Not only has his popularity slumped, they have fanned opposition to a state funeral planned for slain former premier Shinzo Abe, a one-time Kishida mentor.
