Large Daily on Family Federation and Politics

Large daily Sankei Shimbun reports that backing from Family Federation, known for its political clout, wasn’t enough for success in 2025 Upper House elections

See also Big Daily: Authorities Using Outdated Evidence

See also Decline of Family Values Creates Social Crisis

The Sankei Shimbun, one of Japan’s top five most circulated newspapers, carried on 21^st July, the day after the national Upper House election, an analysis of the Family Federation’s ability to mobilize voters. The conservative paper claims that the religious organization enjoys a “long-standing reputation of having ‘political influence’.”

Back in the 1980s, the organization – then called the Unification Church – wielded considerable influence, offering strategic backing to candidates from both the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the former Democratic Socialist Party. The Sankei Shimbun maintains that the Family Federation’s “organizational strength has since declined.”

The paper fails to mention that this has a lot to do with the fact that the LDP, during the veritable media witch hunt against the Family Federation after the Abe assassination in 2022, decided to sever ties with the religious corporation. In fact, the media competed to “expose” any LDP politician they in some way could connect to the Family Federation. Having attended one single rally organized by the federation was enough to be deemed unworthy to hold a position within the government.

So, the situation is vastly different today. As the conservative daily, writes, the Family Federation is currently contesting a dissolution order issued by the Tokyo District Court, with its appeal now pending before the Tokyo High Court.

Despite its ongoing legal battle, the organization offered its backing to Satoshi Hamada (浜田聡参), the 48-year-old incumbent from the small NHK Party [See editor’s note below], during the Upper House election held on 20^th July. However, Hamada failed to secure reelection.

Similarly, Hiroshi Ogasawara (小笠原裕), a 62-year-old candidate representing a minor political party and an active member of the Family Federation, was defeated in Chiba Prefecture. The results underscore that the religious organization today has limited influence in rallying voter support, challenging its long-standing image of political clout.

The Sankei Shimbun reports that in parliamentary sessions, Hamada has been vocal in defending religious freedom and has criticized the government’s attempt to dissolve the Family Federation. His opposition is centered around concerns that the move infringes on constitutional rights.

The large paper also mentions that in a June press conference, NHK Party [See editor’s note below] leader Takashi Tachibana (立花孝志) confirmed the party was receiving backing from the former Unification Church.

He also criticized the government’s handling of the case following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (安倍晋三), remarking that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (岸田文雄) appeared to have yielded to the motives of Tetsuya Yamagami (山上徹也), the assassin, by initiating the dissolution process – something Tachibana labeled as a significant issue.

According to the Sankei Shimbun, sources connected to the Family Federation have revealed that the International Federation for Victory over Communism (IFVOC), a political arm historically affiliated with the organization, coordinated campaign support efforts. This involvement marked the group‘s first major political engagement in a national election since 2022, after being distanced by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the wake of Abe’s assassination.

In its article on 21^st July, the Japanese daily writes that present-day estimates suggest the Family Federation can mobilize only about 60,000 votes nationwide – far below the roughly one million votes generally required to secure a seat through proportional representation. The latest election results further showed that the organization is currently not able to propel candidates to victory independently.

Following his loss, Hamada expressed regret on his video channel, offering his heartfelt thanks and apologies to his supporters, saying he was sorry for not living up to their expectations.

Ogasawara, who has been a follower of the Family Federation for more than four decades and heads the political group “Association to Protect Japan’s Families”, ran on a platform opposing the dissolution and advocating for a constitutional amendment that would introduce a “family protection clause.” Nevertheless, his campaign was unsuccessful, and he finished in last place.

See also Decline of Family Values Creates Social Crisis

Text: Knut Holdhus

Featured image above: Hiroshi Ogasawara (left) on the campaign trail 19th July 2025. Photo: Hiroshi Ogasawara 

[Editor’s note: The Party to Protect the People from NHK (NHKから国民を守る党, NHK kara Kokumin wo Mamoru Tō, often abbreviated as N-Koku) is a minor political party in Japan. It was founded in 2013 by Takashi Tachibana, a former NHK employee, with the primary goal of opposing Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai). The party criticizes NHK’s mandatory subscription fees and has campaigned to allow people to avoid paying for NHK if they don’t watch it.

Over time, the party has shifted its focus, rebranding multiple times and addressing broader issues, but its core stance remains opposition to NHK. It has gained attention for its unconventional campaigning methods and populist rhetoric but has had limited electoral success.]

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