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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Justin McCurry in Tokyo

Shinzo Abe shooting: who are the ‘Moonies’ and why are they in the spotlight?

The Unification church in Seoul, South Korea
The Unification church in Seoul, South Korea. The Moonies’ strong anti-communist stance helped build ties with politicians in Asia, including Shinzo Abe’s grandfather. Photograph: Lee Jae-Won/AFLO/REX/Shutterstock

The apparent motive given by the man accused of assassinating Shinzo Abe has cast a spotlight on the Unification church and its ties to politicians.

Tetsuya Yamagami has confessed to killing the former Japanese prime minister during a campaign speech on Friday. He blamed the global religious movement – whose members are often referred to as Moonies – for bankrupting his family, and believed that Abe had championed its activities in Japan.

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