Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is considering an investigation into the Unification Church, a religious group under increased public scrutiny for links with the ruling party and financial troubles for its followers, government sources said Saturday.
The change in Kishida's stance comes as he struggles with falling Cabinet support ratings stemming from his reluctance to address problems associated with the church that emerged after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was killed more than three months ago.
Kishida is set to announce the plan on Monday in a session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee. He is likely to announce he will order the education and culture minister to look into the religious group if needed, according to the sources.