Court Confirms Order to Dissolve Japan’s Unification Church
The Tokyo High Court confirmed a March order issued by the Tokyo District Court, which will now take immediate effect. The group still retains the right to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Under Japanese law, authorities may request the courts to dissolve a religious corporation if it is found to have engaged in actions that significantly harm public welfare. The government argued that the church’s practices—such as members approaching individuals without clearly identifying themselves and soliciting large donations—violated civil law.
The petition to dissolve the group was filed in 2023 by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
The church came under intense scrutiny following the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The attacker admitted that he harbored resentment over his family’s financial difficulties tied to donations to the church. The man said he acted after seeing Abe send a video message to a church-affiliated organization, the Universal Peace Federation, believing the Prime Minister’s public support made the church “untouchable.”
Subsequently, reported links between members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Unification Church prompted Japan to pass legislation in December 2022 aimed at curbing coercive fundraising practices.
The Unification Church is known for its mass weddings and aggressive solicitation of donations.
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