Tokyo court dissolves the unification church after government plea
The court in Tokyo's decision deprives the Unification Church of its religious organisation status, as the central government requested.
The Japanese court in Tokyo decided to dissolve the Unification Church following a request from the central government. A source close to the organisation, which had been criticised for pressuring its followers to make large donations, relayed this information to the Kyodo agency.
The court's ruling means that the Unification Church will lose its status as a religious organisation, resulting in the loss of preferential tax regulations. Despite this, the organisation will be able to continue its activities in Japan.
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According to Japanese law, authorities can request the dissolution of a religious organisation if its activities cause significant harm to the public good.
Background of the decision
The Unification Church came into the spotlight after the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. The perpetrator was a man whose mother fell into serious financial trouble due to high donations made to the Church. Following this incident, it was revealed that some members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party had ties to this organisation.
The court's decision is the result of long-standing controversies surrounding the activities of the Unification Church, which for years has stirred many emotions in Japan. Authorities have taken steps to limit the organisation's influence on society, which has met with various reactions in the country.
