Hagiuda and Ikuina visited a church-linked facility in the city of Hachioji presumably to win the support of the Unification Church, which has come into spotlight after the murder of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
"It is true that she visited the related facility [with Hagiuda,]" Ikuina's office was quoted as saying by Kyodo.
Last week, Hagiuda was appointed head of LDP policy as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kisida reshuffled his cabinet and the party's executives amid increased scrutiny over the party's relationship with the controversial religious group.
Abe was attacked on July 8 in the Japanese city of Nara during a campaign speech. His killer, Tetsuya Yamagami, approached the politician from behind and fired two shots from a distance of about 10 meters (33 feet). Police said Abe was conscious immediately after being wounded, but then, during transportation, his condition became critical "with cardiac and pulmonary arrest." Later in the day, the Nara Medical University hospital pronounced him dead. Abe was 67. His funeral and cremation took place on July 12.
The killer said that his mother joined a religious group known as the Unification Church of Sun Myung Moon and went bankrupt, destroying the family, after donating large sums to the group. The donations totaled 100 million yen ($1,000,000 at the time) from the sale of land and property. Last year, Abe sent a welcome message to an organization connected to the Unification Church, which, according to the killer, made the former prime minister connected to the religious group. The Church denies any connection with the former prime minister, since he was not a member and did not make donations.