A Japanese court has fined the Unification Church 100,000 yen for refusing to cooperate with a government inquiry into its alleged illegal donation solicitations. The Tokyo High Court upheld a previous decision by a lower court, rejecting the appeal made by the controversial religious organization. The group has faced increased public scrutiny following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022, as he was perceived to have links to the church.
In March, the Tokyo District Court imposed a fine on Tomihiro Tanaka, head of the church’s Japan branch, stating that the organization had failed to cooperate with government authorities who had every right to question and obtain documents from them.
The Unification Church is a South Korean religious organization founded in 1954 by an ardent anti-communist. In Japan, it has long been criticized for pressuring followers into making large donations through “spiritual sales,” where victims are coerced into purchasing items at exorbitant prices.
The government seeks to question the Japanese branch in order to file an application requesting a court order for dissolution of the organization. According to rulings from 22 civil lawsuits involving the church, there have been individuals who were victimized by their illegal fundraising practices.
Following this latest ruling from the high court, formally known as Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, stated that they would consider appealing as they believe it is ”extremely unjust” and goes against precedent set by the Supreme Court. The church maintains that none of its senior officials have ever been implicated in criminal cases and argues that government questioning is unlawful.
After nearly a year-long investigation, in October 2023, the government filed a request with district court seeking an order for dissolution due to their donation practices which would result in loss of tax benefits for them. The government claims that their actions are clearly harmful to public welfare and violate national laws and regulations.
Investigative sources reveal that Tetsuya Yamagami – accused shooter of Abe – informed police that his mother’s significant donations severely impacted his family and also mentioned how Abe’s grandfather played a role in bringing Unification Church to Japan during 1960s.
© KYODO