Japan to File Order for Unification Church Dissolution After 11-Month Investigation

Since November Last Year, Exercised Right to Question and Requested Data Submission
Even if Dissolution Order Issued, Activity as Voluntary Organization Is Possible

The Japanese government announced on the 12th that it will file a dissolution order with the court against the World Peace and Unification Family Federation (formerly the Unification Church), a religious corporation that has become a social issue due to large donations.

According to NHK and other sources, Masahito Moriyama, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, said in his opening remarks at the Religious Corporation Review Board meeting held that day, "(The review board) has repeatedly engaged in careful discussions for about a year," and added, "During this time, the Agency for Cultural Affairs has collected and thoroughly examined information through the exercise of the right to request reports and question the review board, as well as public hearings involving more than 170 victims of the (former Unification Church)." He further stated, "As the competent ministry, based on these results, we intend to file a dissolution order request under the Religious Corporations Act," and expressed a desire to hear the opinions of the Religious Corporation Review Board.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida
Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Local media such as NHK reported that after hearing opinions from religious figures, legal scholars, and others at the review board, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology plans to file a dissolution order request with the Tokyo District Court on the 13th.

Interest in the former Unification Church began last July with the shooting death of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The perpetrator, Tetsuya Yamagami, who killed former Prime Minister Abe, revealed his motive by stating, "My mother made large donations to the Unification Church, which ruined our family," bringing the issue of large donations to this religious group into significant political and social focus.

Ultimately, the Fumio Kishida Cabinet exercised the right to question under the Religious Corporations Act in November last year. This right allows the government to request the submission of materials on more than 600 items, including the organization's operational system, financial status, and donations. This was the first time the Japanese government used this right to investigate a religious organization.

During the 11-month investigation period, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology exercised the right to question seven times, investigating the organization's large donations, overseas remittances, and organizational operations. After examining the obtained materials and testimonies, the Japanese government judged that objective evidence supporting the requirements for filing a dissolution order?namely, ▲organizational nature, ▲maliciousness, and ▲continuity?was secured.

The former Unification Church clearly opposed the move, stating that the organization's activities do not constitute grounds for filing a dissolution order.

If the Japanese government files a dissolution order with the court, the Tokyo District Court will make a judgment. Since appeals and final appeals are possible, it is expected that both sides will dispute the matter up to the Supreme Court. If a dissolution order is issued, the religious corporation will be dissolved and will no longer receive tax-exempt preferential treatment. However, foreign media in Japan reported that it can continue to exist as a voluntary organization and religious activities can still be conducted.

There have been only two past cases where dissolution orders were finalized due to illegal activities. Both were based on criminal cases committed by executives of religious corporations, but in the case of the former Unification Church, no criminal cases involving executives have been confirmed, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.