Tokyo High Court Upholds Unification Church Dissolution

The Japan===Tokyo High Court upheld a dissolution order for the Unification Church (formerly Unification Church) on March 4, 2025, due to its unlawful solicitation of financially ruinous donations from members. This ruling, which takes immediate effect, strips the organization of its religious corporation status and associated tax advantages, initiating liquidation procedures for its assets, estimated at ¥118.1 billion, to compensate victims. This marks the first time a religious organization in Japan has been dissolved for Civil Code violations, as previous cases like Aum Shinrikyo involved criminal offenses. The case gained significant attention following the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose attacker held a grudge against the church due to his mother's donations. The Japanese government, through the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry, filed the dissolution request in October 2023, citing continuous nationwide practices that harmed numerous victims, with the Japan===Tokyo District Court finding at least ¥20.4 billion swindled from over 1,500 people. The Unification Church denies systematic wrongdoing and plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, but the liquidation process will continue.