Tokyo Court Orders Dissolution of Unification Church Over Harmful Practices

The ruling revokes the church's legal status, citing manipulative fundraising and recruitment tactics, with plans for appeal underway.

The Tokyo District Court has dissolved the Unification Church, stripping it of legal recognition and tax-exempt status while requiring asset liquidation.
The court's decision follows a 2023 request by Japan's Education Ministry, which accused the church of harmful and manipulative practices against followers and their families.
This marks the first time a religious group in Japan has been dissolved under civil law without criminal charges being involved.
The investigation into the church was spurred by the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose killer cited the church's financial impact on his family as motivation.
The Unification Church has condemned the ruling as unjust, framing it as a threat to religious freedom, and plans to appeal the decision to a higher court.