Japanese politician criticizes “totalitarian declaration” of Fumio Kishida to cut ties with religious minority as unreasonable from the start and detached from the reality of the regions
Tokyo, 25th July 2024 – Published as the 14th article in a series in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article
Tokushima City Councillor Hideo Mima made his religious identity public and remains with the LDP even after being elected for a seventh term
by the Religious Freedom Investigative Team of the editorial department of Sekai Nippo
prepared by Knut Holdhus
Tokushima City Councilor Hideo Mima (美馬秀夫) has openly declared himself a follower of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church) and has also continued his political activities. In August 2022, following Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s declaration as the head of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to sever ties with the Family Federation, the media began investigating the connections between local council members and the religious organization. Mima received a questionnaire from local media, such as the Tokushima Shimbun.
Although Mima felt the questionnaire itself was a kind of witch hunt that could lead to religious discrimination, he honestly responded that he was a member of the Family Federation. After all, he had already made his faith public.
In the most recent two elections, Mima ran as an official LDP candidate, but in the city council election of April 2023, he ran as an independent without seeking LDP endorsement.
Even so, as an incumbent who openly professes his faith, the media paid close attention, with NHK even dispatching a director from Tokyo for in-depth coverage.
Amidst this scrutiny, Mima secured 1,978 votes and won his seventh term. Although his votes decreased by about 200 from the previous election, his ranking improved from 21st to 20th (with 30 seats available). It is estimated that about 500 of Mima’s votes came from Family Federation members, while approximately 1,500 votes were from the broader electorate. The Mima family is one of Tokushima’s prominent families, enjoying significant local support. And Mima has cultivated a network of connections. Mima reflects, “Despite facing headwinds, I felt that my political stance was received and accepted by conservative voters.”
After the election, Mima remained part of the LDP Tokushima City Council and continued his activities as Vice Chairman. In October 2023, the government filed for a dissolution order against the Family Federation, intensifying the situation surrounding the organization. However, Mima’s council activities have not significantly changed. He said,
“Even with various challenges, I believe that gaining support from citizens through democratic elections remains crucial. I feel a greater sense of responsibility and the weight of the votes.”
According to the Tokushima Shimbun, Yusuke Nakanishi (中西祐介), chairman of the LDP Prefectural Federation, commented on the ties with the religious organization facing the dissolution order, saying,
“We will simply act based on the party’s governance code, which states we do not maintain relations with the religious organization, so this decision does not significantly impact us.”
There appears to be a considerable gap between Prime Minister Kishida’s declaration to sever ties and the reality at the local level. This is not surprising when we consider that the Liberal Democratic Party has historically embraced people of various religions and ideological beliefs based on freedom and democracy. Kishida’s totalitarian declaration was unreasonable from the start and detached from the reality of the regions.
Mima criticized the request for a dissolution order, saying, “It’s a decision based on a predetermined conclusion that panders to public opinion. I particularly cannot accept the sudden change of policy, so that civil cases are now included as a requirement for dissolution.”
However, he added, “I hope the court will make an appropriate decision.”
As for his future legislative activities, Mima intends to continue voicing his opinions based on his faith and beliefs. One key issue he aims to address is the declining birthrate. Hideo Mima said, “The government’s approach to the declining birthrate focuses on financial incentives, but unless more young people want to marry, start families, and have children, there won’t be a real solution. I hope to foster a societal mood where young individuals actively choose marriage and parenthood.”
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Featured image above: Hideo Mima, born in Tokushima City in 1949. Graduated from the Faculty of Commerce and Faculty of Law at Keio University. First elected to the Tokushima City Council as an independent in 1995. Since 2015, he has been elected in two elections with the LDP’s endorsement. He is currently serving his seventh term. Photo (2024): Sekai Nippo