A Japanese court has ordered the dissolution of the Unification Church, widely known as the “Moonies,” following accusations that it coerced followers into making exorbitant donations and financial sacrifices. The ruling comes in the wake of the shocking assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, which exposed deep connections between the controversial church and Japan’s political elite.
The Tokyo District Court issued the dissolution order after Japan’s education and culture ministry sought to strip the church of its legal status. Authorities found that the religious group, which was founded in South Korea and has operated in Japan since the 1960s, manipulated followers into buying expensive items and making large donations by exploiting their spiritual fears. Investigators interviewed nearly 200 individuals who claimed to have been victimized by the church’s coercive practices.
The Unification Church has long been under scrutiny for its fundraising tactics and its doctrine that marriage is central to spiritual salvation. It is infamous for its mass wedding ceremonies, in which thousands of couples are married at once. Since 2023, approximately 200 former followers have come forward, seeking compensation totaling 5.7 billion yen ($38.5 million) for financial losses incurred due to forced donations.
Despite the dissolution order, the church will still be allowed to operate in Japan, but it will lose its tax-exempt status and be required to liquidate its assets. The church, however, has defended its fundraising methods, arguing that donations were part of legitimate religious activities. It retains the right to appeal the ruling.
The investigation into the church intensified after Abe’s assassin revealed that he targeted the former prime minister due to his ties with the Unification Church, which he blamed for his family’s financial ruin. Following Abe’s killing, an internal probe by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) found that 179 of its 379 lawmakers had interacted with the church, ranging from attending events to receiving donations and election support. The scandal led to the resignation of four government ministers and deeply shook public trust in the LDP.
The court’s decision marks a significant move against a religious organization that has wielded considerable influence in Japan for decades. It also raises broader questions about the intersection of religion, politics, and financial exploitation in the country
