Criticism of Unification Church in Japan

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The Unification Church in Japan was criticized by the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales for being involved in several controversies including "spiritual sales",[1] unlawful adoption practices[2] and a change of name to mask its purposes, according to reports.[3] The Unification Church was founded by Reverend Sun Myung Moon in 1954 in South Korea. Moon claimed to have had a vision of Jesus at age 16, prompting him to preach a new doctrine starting in 1946 in North Korea. After fleeing to South Korea, he established the church.[4] It expanded to Japan in 1958, helped by the Cold War's anti-communist climate, connecting with Japanese politicians and establishing the Asian People's Anti-Communist League. The reunification of Korea and anti-communism were the main goals of the Unification Church.[5]

## Background

[edit]

According to research by Elif Sercen Nurcan, Meiji University, Japan and Mursel Dogrul, Turkish National Defense University, since 1971, the Unification Church has been preaching that Japan betrayed Korea because of its invasion and that it must pay for its sins. Because of this teaching, Japanese church members were pressured to donate huge sums of money to erase "negative ancestral karma'', a tactic called "spiritual sales". Church members are instructed to buy statues, prayer beads, etc. from the church at extremely high prices. Spiritual sales, as a social problem, has been raised in Japan's National Diet since the 1980s. In 1993, the Fukuoka District Court found the leadership of UC to be guilty of this practice. The Unification Church maintained very good relations with the Abe family through 3 generations. Abe's grandfather Kishi allowed the UC to use his official residence for its activities and attended their meetings as well as those of an anti-communist organization known as the "International Federation for Victory over Communism".[5]

In 2022, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe was shot during a campaign speech in the city of Nara.[6] According to the Guardian, the killer, Tetsuya Yamagami, a gunman with a grudge against UC, turned his focus to Abe because of his association with the Unification Church, after seeing Abe delivering a recorded address at an online event sponsored by an affiliated organization. Yamagami admitted that he opposed Abe's support for the Unification Church, which sparked public interest in Japanese politicians' ties to the church.

After Abe's death, reports emerged of the church's close ties to politicians, particularly from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. In response to these reports, Kishida ordered party members to sever their ties with the Unification Church. He also launched an investigation into the financing of the church's activities around the world. In its response, the church denied any wrongdoing and promised to prevent "excessive" donations from members. The Ministry of Education spent a year investigating the church and its internal documents and collected testimonies from people about its finances and allegations of excessive donations. The government stated that it had discovered the illegal actions of the church.[7]

Today, the church has 50,000 to 70,000 members in Japan.[8] It has faced controversies, including "spiritual sales"[1] and unlawful adoption practices,[2] with criticism from groups like the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales. The Japanese government is considering stripping the church of its religious status, which the church defends as based on "biased information" from leftist groups and denies any wrongdoing.

The church promises to prevent excessive donations and continues to defend its actions.[7]

## Rebranding

[edit]

In 1997, the Japanese Unification Church applied to the Agency for Cultural Affairs (ACA), a department directly under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, to change its name from "The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity" (世界基督教統一神霊協会) to "Family Federation for World Peace and Unification" (世界平和統一家庭連合). According to the then chief of the Religious Affairs Division, Kihei Maekawa [ja], the application was rejected by the ACA because the church was involved in civil lawsuits under its old name at the time. In 2015, while Hakubun Shimomura was Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology under the Third Abe Cabinet, the Unification Church again applied to change its name, and this time it was approved. Shimomura denied any involvement in the approval process, explaining that the decision was made by the head of the ACA, but acknowledged he had received reports about it and that this was unusual. The 2015 head of the ACA confirmed Shimomura's description of events.[9][10]

## Spiritual sales

[edit]

According to two former church officials, Hiroaki Soejima and Inoue who spoke with The Washington Post in 1984,[11] most of the international Unification Church's financial support has come from Japan, since the 1970s. $800 million they said were transferred from Japan to the United States between 1975 and 1984. Religious icons (marble vases, miniature treasure pagodas, and other religious icons) were distributed by Happy World Inc. and said to possess supernatural powers that were allegedly connected to the church. Hiroshi Sakazume, former Japanese Unification Church's director general of public relations denied the church had any relationship with Happy World, claiming "the Unification Church has nothing to do with sales activities". "We don't know what each church member is doing. But as a church, we don't do any sales [...] Happy World is a different company, a separate organization."[12]

The Unification Church employed assertive tactics when soliciting money from Japanese recruits, characterized by their persistence. Recruits were informed that donating money to the church was necessary to alleviate the suffering of their ancestors in hell due to past sins. Additionally, recruiters would inquire about recruits' personal struggles and financial situations. A legal network in Japan aimed at reclaiming donations from former members and employees of the church has filed around 35,000 compensation claims, resulting in the recovery of over $206 million since 1987.[11]

The National Network of Lawyers against spiritual sales accuses the Unification Church of engaging in "Spiritual Sales", alleging it has made its adherents invest large amounts of money to the point of bankruptcy. The Unification Church's president in Japan, Tomihiro Tanaka, stated any trouble with illegal solicitation and large donations were a thing of the past and since 2009 has had no trouble due to stress on legal compliance.[13][14][15] The Network of Lawyers was set up in 1987 to impose countermeasures to what has been perceived as damages amounting to 123.7 billion yen caused by the Unification Church,[13][15] based on statistics compiled by the association's lawyers between 1987 and 2021, obtained via 34,537 complaints submitted to Government Consumer centers. The network reported about 300 million yen in 2021.[16]

Hiroshi Yamaguchi claimed the Unification Church has caused considerable pain to families of donors.[13] Yasuo Kawai suggested it negatively impacts families and accused Japanese politicians and administrators of taking no action against the Unification Church for over 30 years.[17] Kito Masaki called for Japan's National Diet to conduct a bipartisan investigation.[18][19][20][21][12] Tak Ji-il asserted the Unification Church "is a business based on religion" and is motivated by financial concerns rather than religious principles.[22]

Akahata and Shoichi Fujita [ja] (Religious Information Research Center [ja]) and the Zenkoku genriundo higaisha fubo no kai (lit. National Association of Parents of Victims of the Moonism) claimed that the Unification Church views Japan as having a historical obligation to serve Korea due to past aggression, leading to financial fraud through "fortune telling".[23][24][25] Yoshifu Arita suggested the Church exploits young Japanese people's guilt over Japan's colonial rule of Korea to defraud them.[11][26]

Tomihiro Tanaka argued donations are made voluntarily by the individuals themselves, with amounts based on the individual's beliefs, at the same time acknowledging that people had donated large sums of money in the past. and stated there were no teachings on how much one can contribute to how much was needed to donate to be saved, nor were there any instructions that obliged families in bankruptcy to donate even more.[27][28] Tanaka claimed at a press conference that the Unification Church had had problems with its followers in the past due to illegal solicitations and large donations. He claimed that since 2009, when it began to emphasize legal compliance, there had been no trouble between the Unification Church and its followers.[13] They stated donation amounts are determined by individual members.[29][30][31][32] In an interview conducted with Japanese believers, Kook Jin Moon claimed the church was not pressuring its Japanese members to make large donations in order save their deceased loved ones, stating instead the members informed him it was their own ancestors had instructed them to make large donations.[28][27][33]

Japanese courts ordered the Unification Church to compensate plaintiffs, declaring its missionary work illegal.[15] In 2009, the Tokyo District Court issued a suspended prison sentence to Unification Church members for pressuring passersby to buy expensive seals, ruling that their actions involved exploiting anxiety about ancestral pasts.[34]

On December 10, 2022, Japan enacted a new law aimed at providing relief to individuals affected by the Unification Church, along with an amendment to the Consumer Contract Act. The bipartisan-supported law will prohibit coercive donation solicitations and impose criminal penalties for non-compliance, granting individuals the right to revoke donations made under undue influence and extending the period for contract revocation related to spiritual sales.[35][36][37][38][39][40]

## Assassination of Shinzo Abe

[edit]

On 8 July 2022, Shinzo Abe was assassinated by former Maritime Self-Defense Force seaman Tetsuya Yamagami, whose mother is said to be a member of the Japanese Unification Church since 1998. Yamagami claimed the church was behind his family's financial situation, making his mother donate most of the family fortune to the church, and saw Abe as "deeply connected" to the church. The assassination prompted sympathy for Yamagami, and also increased scrutiny of the Unification Church and the LDP, leading to backlash against them. It was found that almost half of the 379 National Diet (parliament) members of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party "admitted to some kind of contact with the Unification Church". The church "maintained a volunteer army" of members to work on political campaigns for Abe and other politicians in his party. Journalist Robert F. Worth writes that the believers he talked to "described a litany of insults and abuses" they had been subject to in the year since the assassination.[11][41][42]

The Unification Church is said to have historically had a close relationship with the conservative Liberal Democratic Party.[29][30][31][32] In 2019, the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales protested in writing Abe's congratulatory messages sent to events affiliated to the Unification Church in fear such messages enhanced the church's authority and encouraged what they considered its "anti-social activities".[15]

Yamagami's mother reportedly sold land she inherited from her father along with the house she lived in with her 3 children. In June 1999, she donated about 100 million yen (US$720,000) to the Unification Church, half of which was said to have been returned according to Reuters,[42] leading to her family's bankruptcy in 2002 and significantly affecting their family, according to Yamagami.[43] He also claimed he was unable to enter university despite graduating from a prestigious high school. His relatives, however, said Yamagami gave up on university after multiple attempts to enroll but was only offered a place at Nara Sangyo University, because it was not his preferred choice.[44][45] His brother and his father would later commit suicide. Yamagami stated that his original plan was to assassinate Hak Ja Han. However, he gave up his plan because he could not get close to her.[46][47] He believes Abe and his grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, spread the Unification Church in Japan and decided to kill Abe after discovering online that Abe had sent video messages to organizations affiliated with the Unification Church.[48]

Police authorities were instructed by the chair of The National Public Safety Commission Satoshi Ninoyu alleged to have promoted a Unification Church event[which?] in 2021, to set up a panel to investigate the security lapses thought to have been involved in Abe's death.[49][50] Japan's Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People and the Japanese Communist Party, expressed their intentions to launch separate investigations into the Unification Church's political influence and connections in Japanese politics.[51] On August 31, 2022, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party announced that it would no longer have any relationships with the Unification Church and its related organizations, and announced it would expel any members that did not break any ongoing relationships with the Unification Church.[52] Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced in October 2022 the Japanese government would start an investigation into the extent of Abe's relationship with the Unification Church.[53][54][55]

## Revocation of religious corporation status

[edit]

On September 6, 2023, Minister Keiko Nagaoka of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology announced the ministry's decision to file an administrative fine against the church with the Tokyo District Court. The action was prompted by the church's perceived lack of cooperation in responding to the ministry's inquiries during their investigation to determine if there was sufficient evidence of wrongdoing to justify revoking the church's religious corporation status.[56]

During the government probe, the ministry conducted confidential hearings with Unification Church victims and the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales (Zenkoku Benren) to build the case against the church. On 12 October 2023, the ministry formally declared its intent to seek a "Dissolution Order" under Article 81 of the Religious Juridical Person Law against the Unification Church. This decision was driven by the presentation of evidence suggesting that the church's objectives had deviated from legitimate religious practices, potentially impacting public welfare through its activities.[57][58][59]

Masahito Moriyama stated that the Unification Church's actions involved manipulating public psychological distress to accumulate funds. These funds, leading to civil claims from affected parties, served as grounds for the dissolution order.[60] Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed agreement, noting that the decision to propose a dissolution order was based on objective facts and rigorous judgment.[58]

In contrast to previous instances where dissolution orders were pursued due to criminal convictions, this is the first instance of a religious organization being subjected to such an order without a criminal conviction.[61] Before this, only two religious organizations faced dissolution proceedings initiated by the government: Aum Shinrikyo in 1996, concerning its involvement in the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, and Wakayama Myōkakuji in 2002, for fraud conviction. These cases were subjected to legal proceedings lasting 7 months and 3 years, respectively.[62]

Should the court approve the dissolution order, the Unification Church will lose its tax benefits associated with registered religious organizations.[63] Despite this, the Unification Church can continue its operations and missionary activities within Japan under the constitutionally granted freedom of religion.[64] However, the Japan Times editor believed that such an order would damage the Unification Church's reputation.[65]

The church has indicated its intention to contest the charge and dissolution order through legal means, asserting that they will do so thoroughly.[56][66][67] The church also contended that the ministry's exercise of the right to question against them was illegal.[68]

On 7 March 2024, while the court hearing for the dissolution case was still ongoing, the Japanese government, under the new law passed in December 2023, approved a plan to subject the church to stricter monitoring of its assets in anticipation of providing relief to victims of unfair solicitation.[69]

On 25 March 2025, the Tokyo District Count upheld the dissolution order, but the church immediately appealed the ruling to the Tokyo High Court.[70][71]

## Civil lawsuits against Japanese critics and government

[edit]

The Unification Church, its followers, and associated organizations have filed a series of lawsuits against Japanese broadcasting stations, lawyers, journalists and former believer who publicly discussed issues such as fundraising and proselyting practices of the church. These issues came under heavy scrutiny as the ties between the church and Japanese politicians were exposed following Abe's assassination. The Toyama City Council was targeted for declaring the severance of any ties with the church.

Defendants perceived these lawsuits as strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP) aimed at stifling discussions that could be detrimental to the church.[72][73][74]

List of lawsuits against UC opposition  Case | Filing date | Complaint | Demands | Verdict

|
|
|
|

Unification Church v. Yomiuri TV & Masaki Kito[75][76] | 2022-09-29  | Kito's statement about "female believers being forced into prostitution after the founder's death" aired by Yomiuri TV on 20 July 2022.  | 22 million yen and public apology  |
Unification Church v. Yomiuri TV & Kentarō Motomura[76] | Motomura [ja]'s statement which accused the church of "illegal proselyting practices" aired by Yomiuri TV on 2 September 2022.  | Dismissed on 25 January 2024[77]
Unification Church v. TBS TV & Hideki Yashiro[76] | Yashiro [ja]'s statement which accused the church of "causing numerous consumer disputes" aired by TBS TV on 1 September 2022.  | Dismissed on 30 June 2023[78]
Unification Church v. Nippon TV & Yoshifu Arita[79][80] | 2022-10-27  | Arita's statement which accused the church of "anti-social organization for spiritual sales" aired by Nippon TV on 19 August 2022.  |
Unification Church v. TBS Radio & Masaki Kito[80] | Kito's statement which accused the church of "faking own followers deprogrammed by violent group" broadcast by TBS Radio on 9 September 2022.  | 11 million yen and public apology  |
Unification Church v. Noriko Ishigaki[81] | 2022-11  | Sayuri Ogawa's statement about "her parents donated large sum of money for the church" during a hearing with the Constitutional Democratic Party published online by lawmaker Noriko Ishigaki in November 2022. (The case was nominally against Ishigaki, but in fact targeted Ogawa, the former follower turned critic and activist against the church.)[82] | Delete the published video  | Dismissed by the high court in August 2023[81]
Makoto Yasuda v. Toyama City[83] | 2022-12-16  | Toyama City Council passed the resolution of severing ties to the Unification Church and its associated organizations in September 2022. (Yasuda is the pseudonym of a Unification Church follower living in Toyama. "Toyama Prefecture Peace Ambassadors Council" is managed by a PR officer for the church.)  | 3.5 million yen and rollback of the resolution  |
Toyama Prefecture Peace Ambassadors Council v. Toyama City[84] | 2023-08-01  | 22 million yen  |
Women's Federation For World Peace v. Zenkoku Benren Seven[85] | 2023-07-03  | Seven lawyers with Zenkoku Benren, namely Masaki Kito, Keiichi Hiraiwa, Masaki Gorō [ja], Shūji Nakamura, Hidemasa Kawada [ja], Hiroshi Yamaguchi [ja], and Yasuo Kawai, lobbied Japanese municipal governments to deny public venues for Women's Federation For World Peace on 15 June 2023.  | 33 million yen  |
Toru Gotō v. Eito Suzuki[86] | 2023-10-04  | Suzuki's statement about "Toru Gotō being a hikikomori" published on social media. (Gotō was unsuccessfully deprogrammed from the Unification Church by his family.)  | 11 million yen and delete the online post  | The district court ruled in Gotō's favor and awarded 110 thousand yen in damage. Suzuki appealed.[87]
Universal Peace Federation v. Eito Suzuki[74] | Suzuki's statement about "Shinzo Abe getting paid for his 2021 video speech at an event by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF)". (UPF claimed that they did not pay Abe's 2021 video speech, while admitting that Donald Trump, who also gave the video speech at the same event, was indeed paid.)[88] | 11 million yen  |

## Child adoption

[edit]

The Unification Church came under investigation by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for allegations about organizing children being transferred between members' families without authorization from the prefectural government. The authorization requirement came into effect in 2018 and if convicted of violation the offender would face imprisonment or a fine. The church reported that there were 31 known adoptions between 2018 and 2022 when questioned by the welfare ministry. Under the Japanese Civil Code, adoptions involving minors require permission from family courts. The issue at hand also raises questions about whether family courts' screening was sufficient.[89] The church denies the allegation that they act as an agent in the arrangement but says that the child adoptions happen between families privately.[90][91] In publications targeting its followers, the church stated that once families agree on adoption, they were to report it to the group's family education bureau. The welfare ministry indicated that such a rule makes the group perceived as mediating adoptions. The welfare ministry's investigation into the matter has no enforcing power, however, and it doesn't know in detail when adoptions took place or which families were involved.

At the same time, the religious group insists that there has been no organized involvement for about 20 years and that adoptions have been personal unions between followers.[89]

The ministry requested that the church revise its teachings about children to comply with Japan's child welfare laws. Some adoptees complained to the ministry and media that they are emotionally traumatized after learning their adoptions were religiously motivated.[92][93][need quotation to verify] On February 1, 2023, the Unification Church of Japan revised their believers' handbook to remove references to child adoption.[94]

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare submitted several questionnaires about the child adoption practice to the Unification Church between November and December 2022,[95] but in the second inquiry the Unification Church refused to answer more than half of the questions, and sent a letter of protest to the ministry.[96]

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[edit]

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41. ^ 父は急死、母は宗教団体へ多額の金 安倍氏銃撃容疑者の生い立ち：朝日新聞デジタル [Father died suddenly, mother went to a religious group A large amount of money Mr. Abe's background of the shooting suspect]. The Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese). 9 July 2022. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
42. ^ a b Kelly, Tim; Park, Ju-min (2022-08-16). "Explainer: Why the Unification Church has become a headache for Japan's Kishida". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
43. ^ 関係者「母親は旧統一教会に献金1億円」、土地・自宅売却で破産 (in Japanese). Yomiuri shimbun. 13 July 2022. Archived from the original on 13 July 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
44. ^ "『革命を起こす』とか、そんなことばっかり...」山上徹也被告の親族が初告白した、安倍元首相銃撃前の"異様な一言"の意味とは". Weekly Bunsen. 19 August 2023. p. 2\. "「也は、いろんな大学を受験徹したものの、志望校ではない奈良産業大学しか受からなかった。それで大学進学を選ばなかったと聞きました」"
45. ^ 「週刊文春」編集部 (2023-04-26). "親族が初告白 山上徹也「革命を起こす」と宣言していた". 週刊文春 電子版 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-23.
46. ^ 独自「火炎放射器を持って」供述で判明した旧統一教会襲撃計画 安倍元総理を狙った理由 (in Japanese). TV asahi. 12 July 2022. Archived from the original on 12 July 2022.
47. ^ "Suspected Abe assassin cited religious group grudge as reason". The Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 2022-07-09.
48. ^ 動機は？旧統一教会「家庭の破綻は把握」山上容疑者「安倍総理のビデオレター見た」 (in Japanese). TV asahi. 11 July 2022. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022.
49. ^ "Govt. to set up panel to investigate security lapses in Abe shooting | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News". NHK WORLD. Retrieved 2022-07-17.
50. ^ "安倍元首相銃撃事件で注目の旧統一教会「主導イベント」国家公安委員長が呼びかけ人だった！（SmartFLASH）". Yahoo!ニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-07-17.
51. ^ "Unification Church ties to Japan's lawmakers emerge as major political issue". The Japan Times. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
52. ^ 旧統一教会と関係絶てない議員「同じ党で活動できない」自民党・茂木幹事長 (in Japanese). Yahoo news Japan. 31 August 2022. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022.
53. ^ "Unification Church: Japan to investigate religious group after Abe killing". BBC News. 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
54. ^ Kelly, Tim; Kaneko, Kaori (2022-11-22). "Japan probes Unification Church after backlash over ruling party ties". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
55. ^ "Japan begins inquiry into Unification church in wake of Shinzo Abe killing". the Guardian. 2022-11-22. Retrieved 2023-01-01.
56. ^ a b 旧統一教会 100項目以上の質問に回答せず 文科省が宗教法人審議会で「過料」を求める説明 どうなる解散命令請求の行方, TBS News (in Japanese), 2023-09-06, retrieved 2023-09-07
57. ^ Tim Kelly (12 October 2023). "Japan to ask court to strip Unification Church of religious status". Reuters. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
58. ^ a b 日本放送協会 (2023-10-12), 旧統一教会の解散命令 請求を正式決定 今後の手続きは, NHK (in Japanese), retrieved 2023-10-12
59. ^ "Japan Seeks to Dissolve Unification Church Connected to Shinzo Abe's Assassination", Time, 2023-10-12, retrieved 2023-10-12
60. ^ 【LIVE】文部科学大臣が臨時会見 旧統一教会への解散命令請求を決定, TBS News (in Japanese), 2023-10-12, retrieved 2023-10-12 - via YouTube
61. ^ "閣議開かず宗教法解釈変更 | 世界日報DIGITAL". 世界日報DIGITAL (in Japanese). 2024-02-13. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
62. ^ 旧統一教会への解散命令 決定までの手続きは？なぜ時間かかりそう？ 「民事の法令違反では初」が影響すること, Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese), 2023-10-12, retrieved 2023-10-12
63. ^ Rich, Motoko; Ueno, Hisako; Hida, Hikari (2023-10-12), "Japan Seeks to Dissolve Unification Church After Abe Killing", New York Times, retrieved 2023-10-12
64. ^ 旧統一教会の解散命令請求、宗教法人審議会の「全会一致の意見」...盛山文科相, Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese), 2023-10-12, retrieved 2023-10-12
65. ^ McKenna, Shaun; Takahara, Kanako (2022-12-07), "Deep Dive Episode 139: The Church, the State and Kishida's headache", The Japan Times, retrieved 2023-10-12
66. ^ "Japan culture ministry to seek court order to fine ex-Unification Church", NHK, 2023-09-06, retrieved 2023-09-07
67. ^ "【"統一教会"がコメント発表】「極めて残念であり遺憾」 解散命令請求の決定受け", Nippon TV News (in Japanese), 2023-10-13, retrieved 2023-10-13 - via YouTube
68. ^ 「裁判で全面的に争う。偏った取り組みだ」旧統一教会が"質問権めぐり過料"に反論, MBS News (in Japanese), 2023-09-08, retrieved 2023-09-08 - via YouTube
69. ^ "Panel OK's Putting Unification Church under Increased Scrutiny", Jiji Press, Yomiuri Shimbun, 2024-03-07, retrieved 2024-03-07
70. ^ 旧統一教会に解散命令 東京地裁 経緯は 今後の手続きは ["Tokyo District Court Orders Former Unification Church to Dissolve"]. NHK (in Japanese). March 25, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
71. ^ Khalil, Shaimaa; Ng, Kelly (2025-03-25). "Japan court orders controversial 'Moonies' church to disband". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-03-25.
72. ^ 統一教会がスラップ連発～問われる日本の民主主義, Social Democratic Party (in Japanese), 2023-07-28, retrieved 2023-10-21
73. ^ 【旧統一教会】鈴木エイト氏"資金移転"を解説「現金100万円までは申告不要...すでに韓国渡航が促されたという情報も」教団から訴訟された現状も明かす 政府は解散命令請求を決定, MBS News (in Japanese), 2023-10-12, retrieved 2023-10-21
74. ^ a b 旧統一教会が繰り出す「訴訟連発」と「メディア抗議」の本当の狙い...友好団体が鈴木エイト氏を提訴, Nikkan Gendai (in Japanese), 2023-10-05, retrieved 2023-10-22
75. ^ 紀藤弁護士「すぐに取り下げるべき」旧統一教会が計2200万円の損賠賠償を求めた裁判始まる, Nikkan Sports (in Japanese), 2023-02-13, retrieved 2023-10-22
76. ^ a b c 旧統一教会が提訴「ミヤネ屋」の紀藤弁護士、本村弁護士「ひるおび」の八代弁護士らを名誉棄損で, Nikkan Sports (in Japanese), 2022-09-29, retrieved 2023-10-22
77. ^ 旧統一教会の訴え棄却 読売テレビ「ミヤネ屋」側訴えた裁判で東京地裁, TBS News (in Japanese), 2024-01-25, retrieved 2024-01-26
78. ^ 旧統一教会の請求棄却 TV番組での弁護士発言めぐる訴訟 東京地裁, Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese), 2023-06-30, retrieved 2023-10-21
79. ^ 有田芳生氏「反社会性を徹底的に明らかにしていく」旧統一教会が損害賠償求めた裁判始まる, Nikkan Sports (in Japanese), 2023-05-16, retrieved 2023-10-22
80. ^ a b 旧統一教会が日テレとTBSラジオ提訴 番組出演者発言「名誉毀損」, Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese), 2022-10-27, retrieved 2023-10-22
81. ^ a b 元2世信者への教団反論を却下 東京地裁「名誉毀損成立しない」 [Church's demand against former believer dismissed by court], Kyodo News (in Japanese), Okinawa Times, 2023-09-14, retrieved 2023-10-22
82. ^ 統一教会の解散命令請求を目前に！ 被害者救済を妨げる資産流出や隠匿を防ぐ財産保全「特別措置法」の今国会成立を求める「声明」を発表！～9.30 全国弁連東京集会 —内容：「統一教会の解散請求と財産保全、内部の実情、二世問題について」ほか, Independent Web Journal (in Japanese), 2023-09-30, retrieved 2023-10-22, "山口貴士弁護士が、石垣のりこ参議院議員（実質的には二世の小川さゆりさん）を対象としたスラップ訴訟を報告"
83. ^ 日本放送協会 (2023-03-13), 富山市議会の旧統一教会と断絶決議 取消訴訟, NHK (in Japanese), retrieved 2023-10-21
84. ^ 「断絶決議は名誉毀損」 旧統一教会が富山市を提訴, Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese), 2023-08-01, retrieved 2023-10-21
85. ^ 旧統一教会の友好団体、霊感商法対策の弁護士らを提訴, Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese), 2023-07-04, retrieved 2023-10-21
86. ^ 信者がジャーナリスト提訴 旧統一教会、「名誉毀損」, Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese), 2023-10-04, retrieved 2023-10-22
87. ^ 「ミヤネ屋」での発言などで鈴木エイト氏敗訴 監禁された旧統一教会信者を「引きこもり」, Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese), 2025-02-03, retrieved 2025-03-28
88. ^ "Unification Church-linked group paid Trump $2.5 mil. for video messages: Mainichi exclusive", Mainichi Shimbun, 2023-10-26, retrieved 2023-10-27
89. ^ a b "Editorial: Japan gov't needs to uncover Unification Church's murky adoption practice", Mainichi Shimbun, 2023-02-01, retrieved 2023-02-08
90. ^ "旧統一教会の養子縁組、2018年度以降31件 調査に回答" [The Unification Church answered that there have been 31 cases of child adoption arrangements since 2018], The Nikkei (in Japanese), 2022-12-06, retrieved 2022-12-27
91. ^ "Japan to probe Unification Church's Adoption System", The Japan Times, 2022-11-18, retrieved 2022-12-28
92. ^ "Gov't warns Unification Church over murky child adoption practice", Kyodo News, The Japan Times, 2023-01-24, retrieved 2023-01-25
93. ^ 「何のため生まれてきたのか」旧統一教会の養子縁組 元2世信者"肉声"で証言 信者向け動画には「養子縁組は美しい伝統」, Tokyo Broadcasting System (in Japanese), 2022-11-19, retrieved 2023-01-25
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96. ^ "半分以上が「回答拒否」..."統一教会"養子縁組の追加質問 厚労省に抗議文送付" [The Unification Church refused to answer more than half of the questions regarding the child adoption arrangement additional inquiry. Letter of protest for the Health Labour Ministry], Nippon TV (in Japanese), 2022-12-20, retrieved 2022-12-27 - via Yahoo News

* v
* t
* e

Unification Church

Doctrines and ceremonies|

* Divine Principle
* Blessing ceremony of the Unification Church
* Unification Church funeral

Organizations and projects|

* Chungnam Ilhwa Chunma
* Clube Atlético Sorocaba
* Clube Esportivo Nova Esperança
* Family Peace Association
* Global Peace Foundation
* Inchon
* Insight magazine
* International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences
* Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea
* Manhattan Center
* News World Communications
* Nicaragua Was Our Home
* Peace Cup
* Pyeonghwa Motors
* Rod of Iron Ministries
* Segye Ilbo
* Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
* Sun Myung Moon University
* Tongil Group
* Unification Church of the United States
* World Scripture
* Wyndham New Yorker Hotel
* Unification Theological Seminary
* United Press International
* Universal Ballet
* The Washington Times

History and controversy|

* Criticism of Unification Church in Japan
* Assassination of Shinzo Abe
* "Crazy for God"
* "Heavenly deception"
* "Love bombing"
* Million Family March
* "Moonie (nickname)"
* Subcommittee on International Organizations of the Committee on International Relations
* United States of America v. Sun Myung Moon
* The Unification Church and politics

Books|

* As a Peace-Loving Global Citizen
* Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith
* Gifts of Deceit
* Inquisition: The Persecution and Prosecution of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon
* The Making of a Moonie
* Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church

Lists|

* People
* Related organizations

Related topics|

* Conservatism in South Korea
* Republican Party (United States of America)
* Korean reunification

* v
* t
* e

New religious movements

Major groups|

* Adi Dharm/Brahmoism
* Adventism
* CoG7
* SDA
* Aetherius Society
* Ahmadiyya
* Lahore Ahmadiyya
* Ananda Marga
* AMORC
* Anthroposophy
* Antoinism
* Armstrongism
* Bábism
* Baháʼí Faith
* Bible Students/Jehovah's Witnesses
* Black Hebrew Israelites
* Brahma Kumaris
* Branch Davidians
* Brotherhood of the Cross and Star
* Caodaism
* Chabad
* Noahidism
* Charismatic Christianity
* Pentecostal (Oneness)
* Charismatic
* Neo-charismatic
* Chinese salvationist religions
* Chinmaya Mission
* Christadelphians
* Christian Science
* Church of Divine Science
* Church of Scientology
* Church of the Guanche People
* Creativity
* Discordianism
* Falun Gong
* The Family International
* Friends of Man
* Fourth Way
* Fung Loy Kok
* Goddess
* Godianism
* Heaven's Gate
* Humanistic Judaism
* Iglesia ni Cristo
* International Peace Mission movement
* ISKCON
* Invitation to Life
* Jewish Renewal
* Kingdom of Jesus Christ
* Kopimism
* Latter Day Saints/Mormonism
* Maha Bodhi Society
* Mahikari movement
* Sukyo Mahikari
* World Divine Light
* Messianic Judaism
* Modern paganism
* Druidry
* Heathenry
* Rodnovery
* Moorish Science Temple of America
* Nation of Islam
* New Acropolis
* New Apostolic Church
* The New Church
* New Confucianism
* New Kadampa Tradition
* New Thought
* Religious Science
* Unity Church
* Nuwaubian Nation
* Oomoto
* Opus Dei
* Palmarian Catholic Church
* Peoples Temple
* Pilgrims of Arès
* Prathyaksha Raksha Daiva Sabha
* The Process Church
* Raëlism
* Rajneesh movement
* Ramakrishna Mission
* Rastafari
* Risshō Kōsei Kai
* Sahaja Yoga
* Sant Mat
* Radha Soami
* Santa Muerte
* Santo Daime
* Satanism
* LaVeyan
* Church of Satan
* Temple of Set
* The Satanic Temple
* Theistic
* Joy of Satan Ministries
* Sathya Sai Baba
* Shakers
* Shambhala Buddhism
* Shri Ram Chandra Mission
* Soka Gakkai
* Spiritualism
* Spiritism
* Tenrikyo
* Thelema
* Theosophy
* Theosophical Society
* Transcendental Meditation
* True Buddha School
* Twelve Tribes communities
* Unarius Academy of Science
* Unification Church
* Unitarian Universalist Association
* United Submitters International
* Universal Church of the Kingdom of God
* Universal White Brotherhood
* Vipassana movement
* Eastern Lightning
* The Way International
* Weixinjiao
* Wicca
* Word of Faith
* World Mission Society Church of God

Notable figures|

* Mirza Ghulam Ahmad
* Noble Drew Ali
* Marshall Applewhite
* Michael Angelo Aquino
* Herbert W. Armstrong
* Shoko Asahara
* Sri Aurobindo
* Báb
* Sathya Sai Baba
* Baháʼu'lláh
* Alice Bailey
* Chinmayananda Saraswati
* David Berg
* Helena Blavatsky
* Sri Chinmoy
* Aleister Crowley
* Mary Baker Eddy
* Josemaría Escrivá
* Louis Farrakhan
* Charles Fillmore
* Kelsang Gyatso
* Hak Ja Han
* L. Ron Hubbard
* Li Hongzhi
* David Koresh
* Anton LaVey
* Jorge Ángel Livraga Rizzi
* Lu Sheng-yen
* Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
* Meher Baba
* Nikkyō Niwano
* Sun Myung Moon
* Elijah Muhammad
* Nakayama Miki
* A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
* Phineas Parkhurst Quimby
* Raël
* Rajneesh
* Ramakrishna
* Prem Rawat
* Helena Roerich
* Charles Taze Russell
* Joseph Franklin Rutherford
* Ahn Sahng-hong
* Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar
* Menachem Mendel Schneerson
* Shiv Dayal Singh
* Joseph Smith
* Nirmala Srivastava
* Emanuel Swedenborg
* Rudolf Steiner
* Joseph W. Tkach
* Chögyam Trungpa
* Ellen G. White
* Poykayil Yohannan

By region|

* Pacific Northwest

Concepts|

* African-initiated church
* Buddhist modernism
* Chabad messianism
* Christian denomination
* Classifications of religious movements
* Conspiracy theories
* Cult
* Cybersectarianism
* Doomsday cult
* Heresy
* Hindu reform movements
* In-group favoritism
* Japanese new religions
* Neoshamanism
* New Age
* Open-source religion
* Polytheistic reconstructionism
* Prosperity theology
* Religious conversion
* Religious syncretism
* Schism
* Sect
* Self religion
* Spiritual evolution
* UFO religion

Public education|

* CESNUR
* INFORM (Information Network Focus on Religious Movements)
* World Religions and Spirituality Project

Scholarship|

* Academic study of new religious movements
* Anthropology of religion
* History of religion
* Journal of Contemporary Religion
* Nova Religio
* Philosophy of religion
* Psychology of religion
* Religious studies
* Sociology of religion
* When Prophecy Fails

Opposition|

* Anti-cult movement
* Christian countercult movement
* Anti-Mormonism
* Persecution of Ahmadis
* Persecution of Baháʼís
* Persecution of Falun Gong
* Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses
* Persecution of Rastafari
* Religious discrimination against modern pagans

Lists|

* Academic study
* In popular culture
* New religious movements

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Filing date]: year-month-day
*[Women's Federation For World Peace v. Zenkoku Benren Seven]: Official Japanese case title: '宗教ヘイト等損害賠償 令和5年（ワ）第16818号', lit. 'Damages Over Hate Crime Against Religion etc. 2023 (general) 16818'