Tue Mar 25 09:48:34 UTC 2025: ## Japanese Court Orders Dissolution of Unification Church
**Tokyo, Japan – March 25, 2025** – A Tokyo District Court has ordered the dissolution of the Unification Church, a controversial South Korean religious group with significant political connections in Japan. The ruling, which revokes the church’s tax-exempt status and forces liquidation of its assets, comes after the Japanese government accused the church of manipulative fundraising and recruitment practices that harmed families.
The church, officially known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, has denied the allegations. However, it faces hundreds of lawsuits from families who claim the church pressured members into donating large sums of money, often depleting their savings. For decades, the church largely escaped official scrutiny, maintaining close ties with Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
This changed following the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The accused assassin cited Abe’s links to the church and blamed it for his family’s financial ruin as motivation for the attack. This incident brought the church’s practices and political connections under intense public scrutiny and triggered investigations.
Founded in 1954 by the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the church is known for its mass weddings and its global network, including a large following in Japan. Experts allege the church solicits donations by referencing the sins of ancestors during Japan’s colonial rule of Korea and that the majority of its global funding originates in Japan.
The Unification Church is the first religious group to face a dissolution order under Japan’s civil code. The court’s decision marks a significant turning point, potentially impacting the relationship between religious organizations and the Japanese government. The church has stated it plans to appeal the ruling to Japan’s Supreme Court.
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