Deep down, I did expect that eventually I'd have a reason to talk about Abe Shinzo again on this podcast. But I definitely did not expect it to be in this context.
This was definitely a hard episode to write just because of the number of questions that needed answering: how does an ex-PM maintain influence in the party? Where was the LDP before the recent elections? And of course, why did this happen? I have to admit, though, I found it an interesting challenge--the approach of current events through the lens of history is something I think I'd like to return to in the future.
Of course, the hardest part about this particular episode was deciding what exactly to say about the Unification Church. There's obviously a lot there in terms of both theology and organizational history, and I did my best to cover what I felt was necessary from a 'barebones' level. Hopefully, the result is reasonably satisfying--this might be a subject I return to in the future, but probably only on Patreon newsletters and not as a full episode.