Japan orders probe

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ordered a government probe into the Unification Church yesterday, after the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe renewed scrutiny of the sect. The church has been in the spotlight because the man accused of killing Abe was reportedly motivated by resentment against the group, which has been accused of pressuring adherents to make hefty donations and blamed for child neglect among members. The church has denied wrongdoing, but a parade of former members have gone public with criticism of its practices, and revelations about its links with top politicians have helped tank Kishida's approval ratings. Kishida told parliament on Monday that there were "many victims" of the church.