The Contradictions of the Dissolution Order

An irrational decision with dangerous consequences: Christian leader points out the fundamental contradictions of the dissolution order against the Family Federation

Tokyo, 13^th July 2026 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article.

[Opinion]

Dissolution Order and the Supreme Court’s Decision Confirm the Continued Existence of the Family Federation as a Religious Organization

by Rev. Hiroshi Kurose 黒瀬博, Tokyo West Baptist Church

Part 2 (final)

See part 1: Corporation Dissolved – Organization Remains

An Irrational Judicial Decision

The Supreme Court confirmed that the religious organization continues to exist. Therefore, it is only natural that the liquidator should conduct the liquidation process in a manner that does not infringe upon the religious organization‘s freedom of religion.

See also Using Abe’s Assassination Against Unificationism

See also Media Turning Public Opinion Against a Minority

See also Dissolution Case: Attorney Reveals Inside Story

See also Volunteer Group Barred After Question Over Ties

See also When Giving Becomes Grounds for Dissolution

At present, however, the liquidator has seized all of the Family Federation‘s places of worship. Since such facilities are indispensable to religious activity, they should immediately be returned to the Family Federation.

Likewise, cemeteries and memorial parks owned by the Family Federation constitute religious ritual property and therefore should not be subject to liquidation. Selling them would be unlawful, and the seizures should immediately cease, with management transferred to related Family Federation organizations.

Many commentators have already pointed out flaws in the Court’s reasoning. I would further point out that the practical results are equally unreasonable.

The dissolution order was issued on the grounds that the Family Federation‘s aggressive solicitation of donations constituted unlawful conduct and that similar unlawful conduct might continue in the future.

Yet the dissolution order applies only to the religious corporation while allowing the religious organization to continue.

What has happened since? The religious organization continues collecting donations just as before. Since this is legally permissible, no one condemns it or calls it unlawful.

What does this mean? It means that donation practices carried out after the decision are legal, while essentially the same conduct before the decision was deemed unlawful.

This obvious self-contradiction lies at the heart of the dissolution order.

The Court also stated that “there is no effective means other than a dissolution order to prevent aggressive fundraising.” Yet in reality the decision has done nothing to prevent such fundraising.

This is the kind of irrational decision currently being handed down by the courts.

As I have argued before, religious corporations possess legal personality and therefore possess legal rights. It is thus possible to compare a religious corporation to an individual person.

Suppose an individual committed a civil wrong. Instead of ordering that person to compensate the victim for the damages caused, imagine a court stripped the individual of all property and transferred any remaining assets to someone else.

Suppose the court then justified this by saying: “The individual is still alive and able to function, so there is no constitutional problem.”

Such reasoning would be absurd.

Yet that is essentially what has happened through this dissolution order.

The Liquidator Must Follow the Law

Although the dissolution order has become final, the liquidation of the organization‘s assets still remains.

The liquidator is currently disposing of assets, but naturally must comply with the law.

Under Article 49-5 of the Religious Corporations Act, if the religious corporation cannot fully satisfy its debts, bankruptcy proceedings must begin. At that point, the liquidator‘s duties end, and responsibility passes to the bankruptcy trustee.

Thus, the liquidator‘s authority is limited. Under Article 49-2, those duties consist only of:

• completing ongoing business,
• collecting claims and paying debts, and
• transferring any remaining assets.

The most important of these is the payment of debts.

The liquidator is currently inviting creditors to file claims through public notice. However, donations are not debts. The same is true of charitable gifts, religious offerings, and gifts generally. If such contributions could routinely be reclaimed as debts, ordinary economic and social activity would become impossible.

Accordingly, only illegal donations could become subjects of liquidation.

However, the liquidator has no authority to determine whether a donation was illegal. Liquidation concerns established claims and debts; the law does not authorize the liquidator to decide questions of legality.

How, then, should this be handled?

Each individual case must be decided by a court. Only after a court, having considered all of the circumstances, issues a judgment recognizing a claim for repayment does a donation become a legally enforceable debt that the liquidator may process.

If the liquidator makes that determination independently without a court judgment, it exceeds the scope of the liquidator‘s authority and could itself lead to legal sanctions.

The liquidator has already seized the Family Federation‘s worship facilities.

This may itself be unlawful.

Although the court’s decision appears to authorize such action, anyone reading Article 1 of the Religious Corporations Act can readily see that conducting religious ceremonies lies at the core of freedom of religion.

The statute expressly states that it “shall not be interpreted so as to restrict” religious freedom.

Given that language, seizing worship facilities violates the law.

Even now it is not too late.

The liquidator should immediately reopen the worship facilities to the Family Federation and cease interfering with religious services.

Article 188 of the Penal Code must also be considered.

That provision criminalizes interference with religious worship. If the liquidator seizes places of worship and thereby prevents believers from worshipping, this may constitute a criminal offense.

Allowing worship services to continue would not interfere with the liquidation process.

The liquidator should not obstruct freedom of religion in matters unrelated to liquidation duties.

For this reason as well, the worship facilities should promptly be returned – or at minimum reopened – to the Family Federation.

The Supreme Court’s decision has made the dissolution order final. At the same time, it has clearly established that the religious organization itself has not been dissolved.

Accordingly, we must continue to speak out so that the spirit of the Religious Corporations Act – which respects the religious activities and freedom of religion of religious organizations – is not ignored.

See part 1: Corporation Dissolved – Organization Remains

See also Using Abe’s Assassination Against Unificationism

See also Media Turning Public Opinion Against a Minority

See also Dissolution Case: Attorney Reveals Inside Story

See also Volunteer Group Barred After Question Over Ties

See also When Giving Becomes Grounds for Dissolution

See also When Religious Intolerance Turns Violent

Featured image above: The Japanese constitution, the scales of justice, the Family Federation logo, and the entrance to one its nearly 300 places of worship taken by the state throughout the country. Illustration: ChatGPT, 14^th July 2026. 

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