Tokyo Court to Rule on 25th in Dissolution Case

Lower court to rule on 25th March in landmark religious dissolution case with wide-ranging implications for all religions

3 Judges to Decide Fate of Religious Organization That Has Committed No Crimes

by Knut Holdhus, editor

Several Japanese news outlets – NHK World, Mainichi Shimbun and The Japan Times – reported 23^rd March 2025, that Tokyo District Court is expected to decide on Tuesday 25th March whether to issue a dissolution order for the religious organization formerly known as the Unification Church. The Japanese government’s education and culture ministry requested the court’s intervention in 2023, arguing that the organization engaged in unethical fundraising practices and frightened members with stories about eternal damnation in hell.

This case follows an extensive investigation by the ministry, which claims to have interviewed over 170 former members who had sought “damages” and their donations being refunded after being advised to do so by activists and hostile lawyers campaigning against the religious organization since the 1980s.

According to NHK World, government ministry officials claim that the religious organization forced its members to offer substantial donations over a long period of time.

The Japan Times reports that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology claims that members of the former Unification Church “committed illegal acts” when soliciting “people to make large donations to the group by stirring up their anxiety”.

The Japan Times article was provided by Jiji News Agency, which states,

“The Unification Church has rebutted that the receipt of donations is part of religious activities and is not a way to acquire property through illegal acts. In January, the group filed with the court a claim that the evidence submitted by the ministry was fabricated.”

The Unification Church, which in 2015 changed its name in Japan to Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, denies forcing anyone to offer donations and stirring up potential donors’ anxiety.

As NHK World reports, the religious organization points out that “receiving donations is part of its religious activities.” According to Japanese law, all registered religious corporations are entitled to solicit donations. And donors are entitled to offer large donations if they wish to do so.

According to the media reports, the government ministry contends that asking for donations using wrongful methods constitute unlawful acts under Japan’s Civil Code, providing grounds for dissolution under the Religious Corporations Act. Up until now, only criminal acts would be ground for dissolution of a religious corporation. However, after the Abe assassination, the Kishida administration changed the law overnight in order to allow claimed civil wrongdoings to suffice for issuing a dissolution order.

Although NHK World does not mention specifically that the authorities changed the law to specifically target the Family Federation, the large state-run media outlet writes,

“The latest request [for a dissolution order] is the first case filed based on illegal acts under the Civil Code.”

NHK describes that it “is the third time that a Japanese government ministry or agency has sought the dissolution of a religious group for violating laws.” The state channel describes the two previous cases:

• the Aum Shinrikyo movement, responsible for the deadly 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack
• the Myokakuji group, whose leader was convicted of fraud.

In order for the Family Federation to be placed in this category, the law had to be changed.  Unlike these prior instances, the case against the former Unification Church is entirely based on alleged violations of the Civil Code rather than criminal offenses.

Text: Knut Holdhus

Featured image above: The sign outside Tokyo District Court. Photo: FFWPU

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