Unification Church loses Japan appeal against dissolution

TOKYO

Lawyer Nobuya Fukumoto (top, center), representing the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, formerly the Unification Church, and others respond to questions from reporters following the Tokyo High Court's decision to uphold the dissolution order. AFP

The Unification Church lost an appeal Wednesday against a Japanese court's order to dissolve the sect, which came under investigation following the assassination of ex-premier Shinzo Abe.

The Tokyo District Court issued a dissolution order in March last year for the Japanese chapter of the Unification Church, saying it had caused "unprecedented damage" to society.

The Church, which was founded in South Korea and nicknamed the "Moonies" after its late founder Sun Myung Moon, is accused of pressuring followers into making life-ruining donations, and blamed for child neglect among its members, although it has denied any wrongdoing.

The Church said in a statement Wednesday that "the Tokyo High Court had issued a ruling upholding the dissolution order against our organization," calling the decision "unjust."

Abe, Japan's longest-serving leader who had spoken at some of the Church's groups events, was shot dead on the campaign trail in 2022 by a man who resented the sect.

In January, Tetsuya Yamagami was jailed for life for the murder, although his defense team argued that the attack was triggered by his mother's blind donations to the Church that pushed his family into bankruptcy.

The 45-year-old appealed his life sentence last month.

Investigations after Abe's murder revealed close ties between the sect and many conservative ruling-party lawmakers, leading to the resignation of four ministers.

This prompted the government in 2023 to seek permission from the courts to have the group legally disbanded.

The Church lodged an appeal in April. Wednesday's decision means liquidation proceedings will begin and the sect will no longer benefit from tax exemption, although the group can still appeal to the top court.