Japan PM says new cabinet members must 'review' ties with Unification Church

FILE PHOTO: Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivers a speech at his official residence in Tokyo, Japan July 14, 2022. Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu/Pool via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will reshuffle his cabinet on Wednesday paying attention to politicians' ties with the Unification Church, seeking to distance his administration from the controversial group and reverse a slump in opinion polls.

The reshuffle comes as Kishida's administration faces tumbling support rates. Public scrutiny of links between the group and ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmakers has increased markedly since former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was gunned down last month at a campaign rally.