A Tokyo District Court ordered the dissolution of the Unification Church in Japan following government concerns about its harmful practices and links to the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The court concluded that the church's illegal activities were widespread and that reform was unlikely. The church, in response, expressed intentions to appeal the ruling and criticized the government's actions as a significant threat to religious liberty. The case emphasizes the longstanding connections between the church and Japan’s political landscape, particularly the Liberal Democratic Party.
The order followed a request by Japan's Education Ministry in 2023 to dissolve the influential South Korea-based sect, citing manipulative fundraising and recruitment tactics that sowed fear among followers and harmed their families.
The church criticized the request as a serious threat to religious freedom and the human rights of its followers, calling the court order regrettable and unjust.
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