A court in Tokyo has ordered the Japanese branch of the Unification Church to disband, three years after it was scrutinized following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The shooting of Mr. Abe by an individual with grievances against the church revealed that the group had allegedly pressured its members into financial distress to fund donations to conservative politicians.
In a ruling that was anticipated but notably severe, the court granted a government request to revoke the church's legal status, stating it had violated laws related to religious activities. In October 2023, the education ministry, which oversees religious organizations, called for the church's dissolution after determining it coerced members into making donations and purchasing religious items.
The ministry gathered testimonies from approximately 1,550 former members, who claimed financial damages totaling 20.4 billion yen, equivalent to $140 million. Founded in South Korea by Rev. Sun Myung Moon in 1954, the church is known for its mass weddings and has branches in numerous countries.
Scrutiny of the church intensified following Mr. Abe's assassination, during which he was shot while delivering a campaign speech. The shooter, Tetsuya Yamagami, claimed that the church had financially ruined his family by forcing his mother, a member, to surrender her life savings.
Mr. Yamagami admitted to the July 2022 shooting and is currently awaiting trial. After the incident, it became known that he held Mr. Abe responsible for perceived support of the church.
This revelation prompted conservative lawmakers to seek to distance themselves from the church, which has been a significant political donor. An internal audit by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party disclosed that about 180 elected members, nearly half of its parliamentary representation, had either received donations or participated in events organized by the church and its affiliates. Nevertheless, party leadership has asserted that there are no organizational connections to the religious group.
Following the court's decision, the government announced it would focus on providing maximum support to the victims, as stated by Yoshimasa Hayashi, the chief government spokesman.
The church, which claims about 600,000 members in Japan, reportedly has assets estimated at 110 billion yen. A portion of these assets is likely to be allocated by a court-appointed liquidator for compensating former members.
The church, which rebranded itself in 2015 as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, announced plans to appeal the court's decision. It contended that since Mr. Abe's murder, its members' human rights have been violated and that "inaccurate views" about the organization have proliferated in the media and on social platforms.
Japan has previously dissolved two other religious groups, including Aum Shinrikyo, the cult responsible for the 1995 sarin gas attack on Tokyo subways, which was ordered to disband a year later.
The Unification Church has faced criticism from former members in the past, agreeing in 2009 to adhere more closely to laws governing religious organizations. The court's recent ruling cited the church's failure to rectify its practices as a key reason for its dissolution.
The head judge, Kenya Suzuki, remarked that “it is difficult to expect improvements after the group failed to improve following the guidance on compliance, and a situation has been allowed to continue that cannot be overlooked.”
Experts on new religions suggest that the full scope of the hardships caused by the church remains largely undisclosed, with many former members hesitant to come forward due to fear of retribution against themselves or their families. Hotaka Tsukada, a professor specializing in religion at Bunkyo University, noted that the testimonies collected by the education ministry represent only “the tip of the iceberg,” as many individuals are still unable to speak out.