▲ Entrance of the World Peace and Unification Family Federation building in Tokyo
The Japanese court today (25th) ordered the dissolution of the World Peace and Unification Family Federation, the successor to the Unification Church, which has been embroiled in controversy over receiving large donations.
Local media, including Kyodo News and AFP, reported that the Tokyo District Court made this decision based on the Religious Corporations Act in response to the Education Ministry’s request for a dissolution order against the Federation.
The Japanese Religious Corporations Act stipulates that if a religious organization commits acts that are clearly recognized as significantly harmful to public welfare or significantly deviates from its intended religious purposes, the court can issue a dissolution order.
The Japanese government filed for a dissolution order after investigating issues with large donations following the revelation that the assailant who killed former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022 claimed his motive was that his “mother’s large donations to the Unification Church ruined the family.”
Previously, religious corporations dissolved due to legal violations included two organizations, such as Aum Shinrikyo, responsible for the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack in March 1995.
However, while the leaders of these groups were involved in criminal cases, this is the first time a dissolution order was issued based on civil illegal acts in the case of the Family Federation.
Earlier this month, Japan’s Supreme Court, equivalent to the highest court, fined the Family Federation for refusing to respond to parts of the investigation by the Japanese government based on the Religious Corporations Act, and ruled that civil illegal acts are also grounds for a dissolution order.
If the dissolution order is finalized, the religious corporation will lose its tax benefits, but religious activities will not be prohibited, and it can continue as a voluntary religious organization.
(Photo = AP, Yonhap News)