「事実に反する報道多い」　旧統一教会が声明文―安倍氏銃撃

　安倍晋三元首相が銃撃され死亡した事件をめぐり、世界平和統一家庭連合（旧統一教会）は１７日、「事実に反する内容や臆測に基づく報道が多い」とする声明文を報道機関宛てに出した。
　声明文では、田中富広会長が１１日の記者会見で述べた「２００９年以降はトラブルが起こっていない」との発言について、「ゼロになったという意味ではない。０９年以降もごくわずかだがそのようなケースがあるのは事実」と説明した。一方、弁護士などに相談のあった案件を全て「被害」と断定するのは不正確だと主張した。
　山上徹也容疑者（４１）については「厳しい家庭環境が犯罪を正当化するものではない」とした。その上で、山上家の境遇に対し「哀憐の情を禁ずることができない。救済と幸福をもたらす上で十分に支えきれなかったことを率直に認めざるを得ない」と記した。（2022/07/17-20:19）

The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, better known as the Unification Church, claimed Sunday that "many" media reports on the religious group over the fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are "untruthful" and "based on speculation."
   The Unification Church made the claim in a statement addressed to news organizations.
   The media have reported that the suspected shooter, Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, had a grudge against the religious group as his mother, a follower of the group, had made large donations to the group, leading to the collapse of his family, and that he believed Abe was linked to the group.
   In the statement, the group said that its official's remark at a press conference on Monday that the group has not had trouble with its followers since 2009 does not mean there was no trouble at all, adding that it is true that there has been such cases, albeit "very few."
   The group also said the suspect's harsh family environment does not justify the crime. At the same time, the group said that it cannot help but have a feeling of pity toward the suspect and that it have to admit that it failed to provide sufficient support for his family.