Event Report: Religion and Politics in Japan Today: New Perspectives from Grassroots Level Activists
On February 24th, 2026, the Centre for the Study of Global Japan (CSGJ) hosted Levi McLaughlin, Professor at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at North Carolina State University. The event explored the intersection of religion and politics in contemporary Japan, including the role of influential religious organisations like Soka Gakkai and Nippon Kaigi. This event was moderated by Professor Phillip Lipscy, Director of CSGJ and the Asian Institute.
Professor McLaughlin began with the paradox of religion in Japan: although Shinto has had a historical relationship with the state, the Japanese population has a significantly low rate of religious faith, according to surveys. He explained various historical reasons for this phenomenon. First, religion as a term has roots as a Western import during the mid-19th century, introduced as a political and legal concept within a Protestant American framework of what defines religious faith. This idea fails to accommodate Japan's indigenous notions of religious tradition. Meanwhile, events such as the 1995 Aum Shinrikyo terrorist attack in Tokyo raised serious questions about certain religious organisations. More recently, the Unification Church’s involvement in former Prime Minister Abe’s assassination in 2022 reinforced this negative image of religious groups in the Japanese public sphere and in popular imagination.
Furthermore, McLaughlin illustrated the landscape of religion in Japanese electoral politics and government, which has been occupied by two major religious influences. On one hand, the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party has maintained ties to right-wing nationalist groups with religious connections, such as Nippon Kaigi (Japan Conference) and the Unification Church. On the other hand, there is the Komeito party, founded by the lay Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai, which remains one of Japan’s most successful modern religions. Soka Gakkai follows the teachings of the medieval priest Nichiren and focuses on pedagogy, humanism, and historical educational reform. Meanwhile, Nippon Kaigi draws on its Shinto roots and exercises influence by functioning as focal point for LDP politicians as well as business leaders and educators, among others. Its objectives include constitutional revision and ensuring the patrilineal imperial lineage.
McLaughlin discussed the dissolution of the LDP-Komeito coalition in the context of these religious organisations’ influence. Previously, the coalition served to insulate Soka Gakkai against legal and popular attacks while delivering reliable votes for the LDP. However, with Prime Minister Takaichi’s appointment of LDP members that had been involved in a major slush fund scandal, Komeito leader Saito Tetsuo informed local-level Gakkai vote gatherers that they would no longer campaign for LDP candidates. Subsequently, Komeito dissolved in the Lower House and merged with the Constitutional Democratic Party to form the Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA). While the end of the long-standing governing coalition appeared to threaten the LDP’s chances during the 2026 snap election, Takaichi leveraged strong public approval to secure a dominant majority in the Lower House.
Overall, McLaughlin argued that contemporary Japanese politics cannot be adequately understood without reflecting on the role of religious organizations. He concluded his presentation by discussing the prospects for major policy change under Takaichi’s leadership. There was a lively question-and-answer period by members of the audience, in which they discussed the implications of recent events in Japanese politics. We would like to extend our gratitude to Professor McLaughlin for his insightful talk and the audience for their participation.
