Japanese court upholds order to dissolve Unification Church

Getty ImagesThe "Moonies" church came under scrutiny after the shock assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022A Japanese court has upheld an order to dissolve the controversial Unification Church, local media report.Last year, a district court in Tokyo ordered the church to disband after Japan's education and culture ministry accused it of manipulating followers into making huge donations.On Wednesday, the Tokyo High Court denied the church's appeal and rejected its argument that the donations were part of legitimate religious activities.The church, popularly known as the "Moonies", came under scrutiny after the shock assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022.The man who shot Abe, Tetsuya Yamagami, said he had held a grudge against the prime minister because of his ties with the Unification Church, which had bankrupted his family.Yamagami, 45, was sentenced to life in prison in January. He has appealed the sentence.The Unification Church is the first religious organisation in Japan to be given a dissolution order for a civil offence. The dissolution order from the Tokyo district court was meant to strip the church of its tax-exempt status and require it to liquidate its assets, but still allow it to operate in Japan.Now that the church has lost its first appeal against the ruling, the dissolution order would take effect immediately, local media report. However, it can still bring the case to the Supreme Court.Even before Abe's assassination, the Unification Church had drawn controversy with its teachings. At its centre is the church's late founder Sun Myung Moon, who was revered among followers as a messiah.In the wake of Abe's shooting, investigations into the Unification Church revealed close ties with many conservative lawmakers.Investigators also found that the church coerced followers into buying expensive items by exploiting fears about their spiritual well-being.According to the ruling by the Tokyo District Court last year, the Unification Church had taken about 20.4 billion yen ($130m; £97m) from more than 1,500 people.Chief cabinet secretary Minoru Kihara said on Wednesday that he has instructed government agencies to work on relief measures for victims, Kyodo reported. "I hope the liquidation process will be carried out properly under the supervision of the court, ensuring swift redress for the victims," he told a press conference.AsiaJapan