Japan: Court withdraws legal recognition of the Unification Church
The influential religious organization has been under controversy since the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 at the hands of a man who allegedly resented the Unification Church.
Unification Church headquarters
A Japanese court on Tuesday ordered the dissolution of the "Moon sect," an influential religious organization that has been under fire since the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022.
An Education Ministry spokesman told AFP that a Tokyo district court issued an order to dissolve the Japanese branch of the Unification Church, founded in South Korea by Sun Myung Moon and known as the "Moon sect," depriving it of legal recognition.
Former Prime Minister Abe was shot dead during an election rally in 2022, allegedly by a man who resented the Unification Church.
The assassin was reportedly upset because his mother had donated 100 million yen ($1 million at the time) to the church.
Investigations into Abe's murder revealed links between the group and several lawmakers from the ruling party, causing four ministers to resign.
The church is accused of pressuring its followers to make donations that leave its faithful broke, although it has denied any wrongdoing.
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