Japan's Kyodo News Agency reported that the Unification Church, which was ordered dissolved by the Tokyo District Court, has filed an appeal with the Tokyo High Court to protest the decision.
According to the agency, a church representative confirmed in a press interview, saying, "The court's decision was biased and disregarded the law and the truth, and we will make every effort to defend our position."
On March 25, the Tokyo District Court ruled in favor of the Ministry of Culture, Education, and Science's request to dissolve the Unification Church, a rare move that is only the third of its kind in Japan's history.
The official request to dissolve the Unification Church came in October 2023, when the Japanese government, represented by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, which is responsible for religious affairs, filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court.
The Unification Church made headlines suddenly after the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022. Police investigations revealed that the killer, Tetsuya Yamagami, 44, committed the crime out of personal anger over Abe's alleged ties to the church. His mother donated a whopping 100 million yen (about $740,000) to the church, bankrupting the family and ruining their lives.
Although there is no conclusive evidence proving Abe's direct connection to the church, the incident has raised widespread questions about Japanese politicians' ties to it. Investigations revealed that 179 of the 379 members of parliament from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including current ministers, had connections to the Unification Church.
According to an investigation conducted by the Ministry of Education, more than 1,500 people have reported financial damages resulting from the activities of the Unification Church, totaling 20.4 billion yen (approximately $140.7 million). Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against the church seeking material and moral damages.
Implications of the appeal:
If the Tokyo High Court upholds the dissolution decision, the dissolution proceedings for the Unification Church will begin immediately, even if it appeals the decision to the Japanese Supreme Court. This will result in:
The organization loses its tax exemptions and financial benefits.
Obligating it to sell its assets to pay off debts and compensation.
The possibility of declaring bankruptcy if it is unable to meet its obligations.
It should be noted that the dissolution decision will not prevent its members from practicing their religious rituals individually.
Shinzo Abe was assassinated on July 8, 2022, while delivering a campaign speech in Narita Prefecture. Tetsuya Yamagami shot him twice with a homemade weapon, fatally wounding him in the neck and chest.
Abe died of his injuries before arriving at the hospital. His private funeral was held on July 12, while the state funeral was held on September 27.