On October 3, Japan's economic revitalization minister Daishiro Yamagiwa revealed that he had a meeting with the current leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification better known as the Unification Church in 2018.
Yamagiwa did not explain why he had met with the religious group leader Hak Ja Han Moon when he admitted on Sept. 20 to attending a 2018 Shinjuku Ward event organized by the main body of the organization after an outside party confirmed his presence.
When asked at the Oct. 3 press conference about his awareness of his attendance at the event, Yamagiwa said that he had met the representative somewhere. He then admitted that the representative was Hak Ja Han Moon. As to why he had not explained the fact before, he said, I did not tell you because it would be inaccurate to say anything about it when I did not remember where we met As for recalling the occasion of his encounter with Han. Yamagiwa said it was at a banquet hall-like venue. I may have said a word or two, maybe just a hello.''