Moral panic and scandal after the Abe assassination in Japan

Matthew M. Carlson

Public Administration and Policy: An Asia-Pacific Journal, 2025, vol. 28, issue 2, 153-164

Abstract: PurposeThe assassination of Japan’s former Prime Minister Abe Shinzō sparked the most significant public reaction to religion since the Aum Shinrikyō attacks in 1995. This paper investigates the reasons behind the intense public response to Abe’s murder and its connection to the South Korean-based Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly known as the Unification Church). It also examines how the ties between politicians and the church became a major scandal in Japanese politics from 2022 to 2023.Design/methodology/approachUtilizing the concepts of moral panic and scandal, this paper explores public reactions to the Unification Church and how politicians’ connections to the church became a major scandal. It also analyzes the implications of these reactions for Japanese politics, religion, and society.FindingsThis paper helped explain the intense public reaction to the Unification Church and the media-driven scandals that implicated conservative politicians. Moral panic frameworks highlighted the elements and reasons behind the reaction, emphasizing the pivotal roles of grassroots movements, interest groups, and political elites. The scandal focus emphasized the influence of the media and the role played by elites. Among the significant political and legal consequences, the public reaction weakened support for the Kishida government and prompted the parliament to enact new legislation.Originality/valueThis paper will be valuable to scholars and policymakers interested in the causes and consequences of moral panic and scandal, the connections between religious groups and politicians, and the significant political, legal, and social changes in Japan following Abe’s murder.

Keywords: Moral panic; Scandal; Religion; Liberal Democratic Party; Japan; Media (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:pappps:pap-12-2024-0197

DOI: 10.1108/PAP-12-2024-0197

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