Thread by @greghill

BuzzFeed Japan reports that conspiracy theories have run rampant Japanese SNS since the killing of Shinzo Abe. Some netizens claim it was a hoax, believing he was not sufficiently bloodied after the attack. Others blame China, USA among others. #安倍晋三 buzzfeed.com/jp/kotahatachi…

Some Japanese have also shared saying that the shooter is in fact a Korean national or that police have arrested the wrong person. These types of conspiracies are common in Japan following widely reported events of this sort. #安倍晋三

Following reports of the shooter being motivated by a hatred for a certain organisation (特定の団体) which he associated with Shinzo Abe, some netizens have also started filling in the blanks believing it to be the Korea-based religious group Unification Church. #安倍晋三

People believe so because there is a Unification Church branch close-by to Yamato-Saidaiji Station where Abe was attacked. Some fringe political candidates have previously accused the church of ‘foreign meddling’ in Japan’s politics. Others call it a cult. #安倍晋三 #統一教会

The church, whose members are notably referred to as Moonies, supports Korean reunification, decrys communism and supports politically conservative causes. Shinzo Abe and even Donald Trump have all been friendly with the church in the past. #安倍晋三 #統一教会

The church, however, has also been identified as a dangerous cult. It’s leader Sun Myung Moon, has been deified by the church’s followers. It has a presence in 10 countries and has approximately 3 million members. #統一教会 #安倍晋三

Disclaimer: Just to be clear, this thread is only to report on what conspiracies are being spread on SNS. It does not add legitimacy to any of the theories or claim them to be true.