May Verdict in Appeal Case Against City Council

Kitakyushu City Council’s resolution challenged in appeal case about blatant religious discrimination

Tokyo, 18th March 2025 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article. 

Appeal Trial for Kitakyushu City Council’s “Severance of Ties” Concludes

Family Federation’s Legal Representative Confident in Reversal of Court’s Decision

by the editorial department of Sekai Nippo

More on Kitakyushu City Council’s discrimination: Politician Defends Socially Excluded Minority

The appeal trial for a lawsuit filed by the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church) and its followers concluded on 17^th March. The lawsuit challenges the Kitakyushu City Council’s December 2022 resolution to sever ties with the federation, arguing that it constitutes discrimination against a specific religion. In the first trial, the plaintiffs’ claim was dismissed.

Attorney Shinichi Tokunaga (徳永信一), representing the plaintiffs, held a press conference, stating,

“The Kitakyushu City Council passed the resolution based on the premise, as reported by the media, that the Family Federation is an ‘anti-social organization’. However, last month, former U.S. President Donald Trump, who, like the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (安倍晋三), sent a message to a Universal Peace Federation (UPF) event – a group affiliated with the Family Federation – was inaugurated as the U.S. president. Additionally, Vice President Vance also delivered a speech at a related organization’s conference.”

He further remarked,

“Paula White, who respects the Family Federation’s leader, President Hak Ja Han, has been appointed to the newly established Office of Faith-Based Initiatives in the U.S. These figures recognize the Family Federation not as an anti-social group, but as a remarkable organization contributing to world peace.”

Attorney Tokunaga expressed confidence in overturning the previous ruling, stating that the label of the former Unification Church as an “anti-social organization” is being dismantled. The court’s decision is scheduled for 12^th May.

More on Kitakyushu City Council’s discrimination: Politician Defends Socially Excluded Minority

Featured image above: Attorney Shinichi Tokunaga (徳永信一), here at Tokyo press conference on 31st January 2025. Photo: Takahide Ishii (石井孝秀) / Sekai Nippo

Related to appeal case against city council discrimination: “Poorly Compiled Evidence Including Falsehoods”

Also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Huge Scandal: “Ministry Is Falsifying Affidavits”

Also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Alleged Forgery: State Faces Criminal Complaint

And also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Flawed, Deceptive Evidence Gathering by State

And more, related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Alleged Evidence Tampering in Dissolution Case

And still more, related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Big Paper: State Accused of Altering Evidence

Also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Japan’s New Laws to Curb New Religious Movements

And also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: New Law Designed to Bankrupt Family Federation

Also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Terms from Consumer Law Used to Rob Faith

And also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: New Law Manufacturing “Victims”, Dividing Families

More, related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Maverick Minister Lets “3 Foxes in the Henhouse”

Even more, related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Journalist Reveals Ugly Leftwing Conspiracy

And more, related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Militant Lawyers Dictate Government Policy

And more, related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Courts Using Debunked Concepts Against Minority

Also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Dissolution Case: Wild Claims, Illegal Actions

Also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: 2nd-Generation Members Protesting Persecution

Also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Inhuman Government-Supported Mass Deprogramming

And also related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Bias: No Right to Respond for Religious Minority

More, related to appeal case against city council discrimination: Collusion to Rob Minority of Its Rights

And more, related to appeal against city council discrimination: State and Media Creating “Today’s Non-Citizens”

Still more, related to appeal against city council discrimination: Japan Criticized for Glaring Rights Violations

Even more, related to appeal against city council discrimination: Two European Scholars Warning Japan

And yet more, related to appeal against city council discrimination: Japan Censured at Religious Freedom Event

And still more, related to appeal against city council discrimination: Lawyer Exposes Dirty Leftwing Plot

And even more, related to appeal against city council discrimination: Inhuman Government-Supported Mass Deprogramming

And still more, related to appeal against city council discrimination: Malicious One-Sided Government Source Selection

More, related to appeal against city council discrimination: Government’s Foul Play Pointed Out

More, related to appeal against city council discrimination: Kishida Has Opened Can of Worms