Gross State Interference in Religious Matters

Closing cemeteries owned or run by large religious minority becomes big issue of blatant state interference in religious matters

Tokyo, 22nd May 2025 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article. 

Cemetery Management Impossible Due to Dissolution of Religious Corporation

The Request to Dissolve the Family Federation and the Cemetery Controversy (Part 3)

by the Religious Freedom Investigative Team of the editorial department of Sekai Nippo

See part 1 Japan: Even Dead Souls Face State Persecution

See part 2 Sacrilege: Japanese State Violating the Sacred

See also Japan: Families Fear for Graves of Loved Ones

Under a clear blue sky, a one-year-old boy tottered unsteadily across a wide lawn. Occasionally dropping to his hands and knees, he delighted in the feel of the grass.

“This is the first time my child is wearing shoes and practicing walking outside,” said 37-year-old Hitomi Okajima (岡島仁美) with a smile. She lives in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture.

Okajima is a so-called “second-generation” member of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church). Taking advantage of the May holiday period, she visited the “Oze Cemetery”, owned by the religious organization in Katashina Village, Gunma Prefecture, to pay respects at her family grave. With a picnic sheet laid out in front of the gravestone, it looked as if her family were enjoying a casual outing.

As the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)’s request for the dissolution of the Family Federation is close to being granted, anxiety and concern are spreading among bereaved families about what will happen to the cemeteries owned or contracted by the organization. Okajima commented,

“I want to believe everything will be fine, but if it’s lost, it would be truly sad. The cemetery has also been a place for grieving families to connect with one another. I hope it continues as it has.”

More than 40 years ago, the Oze Cemetery was developed in response to calls from members seeking a burial place for deceased children. Since then, it has served as a “final resting place” for followers who passed away. The peaceful atmosphere of the cemetery, surrounded by nature, has fostered bonds among members who visit. Many second-generation couples reportedly met and married through these community ties among bereaved families.

Over 500 volunteers help maintain the cemetery annually, with up to nearly 1,000 people assisting in busy years. A male follower in his 50s who traveled from Saitama Prefecture with his family said he had been volunteering at Oze for over a decade. “I want to come as much as I can, but it’s sad that even that is becoming more difficult, and I have mixed feelings,” he said with a sad look on his face.

What happens to religious corporations after dissolution?

Once a religious corporation is ordered to dissolve, it becomes a liquidation entity, and a liquidator appointed by the court handles the winding-up process. Under the Religious Corporations Act, the liquidator must:

1. Conclude ongoing affairs,
2. Collect receivables and pay debts,
3. Distribute remaining assets.

Once this process is complete, the corporation’s legal status ceases to exist. Until that time, however, access to the cemeteries may be restricted, raising concerns that they could be neglected. With financial operations halted, payment for cemetery staff and maintenance may be delayed, and the acceptance of new remains could be banned.

Furthermore, once the religious corporation loses its legal status, it becomes unable to operate cemeteries. This is because, under guidelines from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and local government regulations, cemeteries must be operated by local governments, public interest corporations, or religious corporations.

After dissolution, cemeteries will, in principle, be managed by the court-appointed liquidator until a new management entity is determined. However, it’s highly likely that practical issues like cleaning or dealing with vandalism will be neglected.

The government should address the families’ concerns

Even if another religious corporation or municipality assumes responsibility for cemetery management after liquidation, it’s expected that holding ceremonies or burials based on the Family Federation‘s doctrines will be difficult. The religious community among believers that centered around the cemetery, offering emotional support to bereaved families, may weaken as a result.

One possible alternative is forming a new public interest corporation composed of bereaved families from each region. However, many cemeteries in general face financial hardships, and passing administrative reviews poses a significant challenge.

In cases where the cemetery land is leased under the religious organization‘s name, negotiating with the landowners is essential. Even if a new managing organization is ready, if the owner refuses, legal battles over eviction could ensue.

At the “Central Japan Cemetery” in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture – run by the religious organization on land owned by a Buddhist temple – Jiro Nakabayashi (中林次郎), secretary general of the cemetery’s bereaved family association, shared his unease,

“Families ask me what will happen to the cemetery if the Family Federation is dissolved, but I have no answer.”

A man in his 30s living in central Japan, whose relatives are buried there, said,

“For the bereaved, the worst outcome would be the cemetery being abolished or left in neglect. I’ve heard there are non-members buried there too, so I think there should be an opportunity to explain the situation to all involved.”

In the dissolution order issued on 25^th March, the Tokyo District Court repeatedly emphasized that religious freedom would be guaranteed, stating that “the order has no legal effect whatsoever to prohibit or restrict the religious activities of believers” and “it does not attempt to interfere with spiritual or religious matters.”

However, the court also pointed out that the dissolution order “may hinder believers from continuing their religious practices using assets belonging to the corporation.” The court declared this to be a “necessary and unavoidable” outcome.

Still, is it truly “necessary and unavoidable” to make cemetery operations unfeasible and potentially tell bereaved families to “leave”? Can the mental anguish caused by being barred from interring remains or freely visiting graves really be dismissed as not interfering with “spiritual or religious matters”?

If freedom of religion is to be protected even after dissolution, then the government and courts must not neglect their responsibility to tangibly uphold that promise for current believers. At the very least, the government must not offer vague explanations but confront and clarify the situation, including conducting thorough fact-finding investigations.

See part 1 Japan: Even Dead Souls Face State Persecution

See part 2 Sacrilege: Japanese State Violating the Sacred

See also Japan: Families Fear for Graves of Loved Ones

Featured image above: Hitomi Okajima (岡島仁美) and her family visit the Oze Cemetery in Katashina Village, Gunma Prefecture, on 4^th May. Photo: Takahide Ishii (石井孝秀); image partially edited)

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