Stranger Things

October 2022 Cont.

Oct. 19: UC Tries But Fails to Silence Farmer in Kochi (Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteA farmer in Kochi Prefecture who blames the Unification Church for the breakup of his family said a church leader made an unwelcomed visit to tell him to stop talking to the media. Tatsuo Hashida, 64, said the senior official, Hideyuki Teshigawara, would not leave the home even after a phone call to the police was made. "I don't want you to be on the mass media anymore," Hashida quoted Teshigawara as telling him.

Note: Hideyuki Teshigawara wrote the following piece about the country the UC hopes to control one day:

Dec. 30, 2013: The Economic System in Cheon Il Guk (Hideyuki Teshigawara/True Parents)

QuoteAs far as I know, there is no one who can explain the concrete system of Cheon Il Guk. But then is it possible to realize something without any clear vision and goal? Even if we have a clear vision and goal, it may be difficult to realize Cheon Il Guk. Obviously, Cheon Il Guk is not the nation that can automatically be built by God's miraculous power.

Note: The "without any clear vision" part is something I noticed and asked leading officials about. Their answer certainly confirmed that they "have no clear vision". More here about Cheon Il Guk.

Oct. 20: The Unification Church Splinters Japan (East Asia Forum)

Oct. 22: Why Japan's Political Moonies Have Staying Power (GZero)

Oct. 24: Japan Minister Steps Down Over Allegations of Links to Cult Being Probed for Shinzo Abe's Murder (India Today/Reuters)

Oct. 28: People Born into UC Seek Law To Prevent Abuse (Asahi Shimbun)

Quote"We have been told that (public authorities) cannot intervene with issues involving a religion," one individual said at the news conference. "We urge the government to treat abuse cases involving religions and beliefs in the same way as other abuse cases." Second-generation former followers said they have been forced to undertake certain activities or follow a specific religion against their will. They said they have suffered both physical and mental abuse form the religious groups, and that instilling fear is a common method used by the organizations to get their way. But the former followers said child consultation centers and other public organizations have turned them away when they sought help, citing "religious issues."

Oct. 28: The UC & Its Japanese Victims: The Need for "Religious Literacy" (Prof. Sakurai Yoshihide for Nippon)
Note to Self: This is good.

September 2022

Sept. 16: After failures in South Korea, 'Heretical' Church Turned to Japan (The Asahi Shimbun)

Sept. 22: UC Followers Remind Hagiuda: You Know Us (The Asahi Shimbun)

Quote"A Line message can be leaked to the outside," a follower said. "There is a shared awareness at the Hachioji church to prevent Hagiuda-san's relationship with the church from being exposed and to avoid damaging his reputation." The follower added that members are banned from mentioning Hagiuda publicly or taking pictures of him at church meetings and other events.

Note: A lot of damning accusations about the UC's shady dealings with politicians.

Sept. 23: Over 1,000 Calls Taken by Hotline for UC Victims (The Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteA government hotline to help people who experienced problems with the Unification Church was flooded with callers in the first five days through Sept. 9. Justice Minister Yasuhiro Hanashi said at a news conference after the Cabinet meeting on Sept. 13 that 1,002 calls were taken by the hotline in the first five days since its launch.

Sept. 23: UC Repeats 2009 Promises to Reform (The Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteHideyuki Teshigawara, a church official who heads the reform promotion headquarters, said at the news conference that efforts would be reinforced to ban donations made through threats against members. He also said the church will try to ensure that the donations made do not exceed the economic standing of the member.

Similar measures were included in the 2009 declaration, but former members have said excessive donations as well as recruiting efforts that concealed the true nature of the organization have continued.

November 2022

November: Sayuri Ogawa Confronts The UC - & Her Parents – During a Day of Drama at the FCCJ (Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan)

Quote"Since my childhood, no matter what my convictions, I was forced to obey the rules of the church and if I did not respect its instructions, they told me I would go to hell," she said. "I grew up in poverty. At school, I was mistreated because I looked poor. My parents insulted and abused my grandmother, who required nursing care. I also experienced sexual harassment by a church official. The contradictions I witnessed led me to be hospitalized for mental health reasons."

Ogawa also provided comments from other people who had suffered because their relatives were involved in the church. She described how the church functions in Japan, and how it works to ensure that huge amounts of money are sent to its headquarters in South Korea every month.

And then something incredible happened. About 50 minutes into her press conference, I was told that two faxes had arrived at the club. One, in Japanese, had been sent by a lawyer for the church; the other, in English, was from her parents. Both contained more or less the same message. Ogawa, they said, was suffering from "serious mental health disorders, including dissociative identity disorder" that had worsened since Abe's death. This, they continued, had prompted her to make inaccurate statements to the media. The messages warned that Ogawa was at risk of committing crimes such as defamation - hence their determination to silence her. They demanded an immediate end to the FCCJ press conference.

I was shocked by their words. I could not imagine why any parent would want to talk about their own daughter in this way. I never even considered bowing to their demands and halting the press conference. (I learned later that the faxes had been sent before the FCCJ event had started, but that they had not been noticed until later.)

As a journalist, I knew the press conference had to continue. But ultimately, that was not my decision – this was not only a question of freedom of the press and freedom of expression, but a serious personal matter on which only Ogawa could decide. She had been criticized and threatened not only by the church, but also by her own parents. Seated nearby, her very supportive husband offered to explain to the audience the contents of the faxes. I thought, though, that we also needed her agreement before he did so. After a short discussion, she agreed.

After Ogawa told me she would like to continue, I asked another question related to her experiences. By then in tears, she said: "If you believe that I am telling the truth, please dissolve the Unification church. That is all."

I generally try to remain neutral during press conferences, but this time I applauded Ogawa and her brave words. I was also impressed by her commitment - she had not only recounted her own experiences but had also gathered data and testimonials from other people affected by the Unification church.

I have also spoken to several other second-generation followers, who told me how difficult it was to lead a normal life and have a true identity after years of involvement with the church through parents who appeared to have been brainwashed. Are all those people who have spoken out lying? If so, why? I believe they are telling the truth. Ogawa, for example, had absolutely nothing to gain from lying about her experiences.

Nov. 8: Japan PM Promises Law to Help UC Victims (The Diplomat)

Nov. 11: UC Leader Gave Orders to Approach Abe After Appointment as Japan PM (The Mainichi)

QuoteThe Mainichi Shimbun confirmed the relevant remarks made by Moon on a website that the Unification Church's public relations department in Japan accused of "illegal reproduction" of all volumes. The remarks are originally in Korean, and the Mainichi Shimbun's translation brought to light Moon's active role in the group's attempts to approach Abe, who had just become prime minister. ...

In September 2021, he sent a video to an event hosted by Universal Peace Federation (UPF) in which he left the message that he "highly appreciates the aspect of emphasizing the value of family." This is the video that is believed to have led Abe's accused assassin Tetsuya Yamagami to decide to shoot him, after thinking that he had connections with the Unification Church.

In another video obtained by Suzuki, Kajikuri talks about the background of events leading to the video message. "Under the nearly eight years of his administrations, he (Abe) also remembered the sincerity we showed during six national elections." It was implied that Abe's video appearances were done in return for the group's support in elections.

Based on this series of events, the aforementioned individual affiliated with Abe's group of supporters said that "Abe was in low spirits when the LDP lost power and an administration led by the Democratic Party of Japan was born." The individual commented, "It is likely that ever since then, Abe believed that he must use the Unification Church's influence during elections in order to maintain power, which apparently brought him closer to the group."

Nov. 12: UC Founder Said Savings of People in Japan Were for Followers (The Mainichi)

QuoteObservers have said that the religious group's doctrines formed the backdrop for its view of Japan as a source of funds. The doctrines compare the relationship between Japan and South Korea to Eve and Adam in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The church claimed that Japan was the "Eve nation" that invaded the "Adam nation" of South Korea, and that to atone for this, Japan had a responsibility to serve South Korea. ...

Nov. 13: Foreign Ministry Gave ¥9.55 mil to UC-linked NGO (Japan Today/Internet Archive)

Note: The article on the Japan Today site is expired. Hence, the internet archive link, but comments are still visible and worth a read - they don't appear on the archived link)

QuoteJapan's Foreign Ministry said it provided around 9.55 million yen in official development assistance to a nongovernmental organization affiliated with the Unification Church in 2018 to build a women's vocational training school in Senegal. The decision was made because the ministry wanted "to contribute to the advancement of women in society" and "was not aware that the organization was affiliated with the church," according to Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi.

Hayashi, who made the revelation at a House of Representatives foreign affairs committee meeting Friday in response to questioning by the Japanese Communist Party's Keiji Kokuta, added that an investigation will be launched to determine if there were any other similar cases. ... A meeting last month revealed that the ministry had presented a Foreign Minister's Commendation to the director of a school operated by the women's organization in Mozambique. But the commendation was rescinded after it was found that the director had engaged in missionary work for the church at the school.

Nov. 24: What is The UC & How Will Japan's Probe Affect it? (Asahi Shimbun)

December 2022

Dec. 2: In Japan, UC Scandal Stains Integrity of Ruling Party (Christian Science Monitor)

QuoteJapanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio said Tuesday he will speed up the drafting and passage of a law to regulate the collection of donations by religious groups and protect families of believers after he met with victims of the Unification Church and was heartbroken by their "horrendous experiences."

Dec. 6: UC's Japan HQ Tried To 'Mediate' Adoptions Among Followers (The Mainichi)

QuoteIf the group had been repetitively mediating adoptions "for business purposes" without being granted a business permit, this infringes against the adoption mediation law, making the Unification Church applicable for a possible dissolution order. Thus, the issue of adoptions among followers is a focal point of the ongoing probe.

Dec. 10: Unification Church Claims Abuse as it Faces More Questions (Asahi Shimbun)

Dec. 10: Japan Passes Funds Law Amid 'Cult-Like' Church Controversy (DW)

QuoteThe new law, approved at this year's closing parliamentary session, bans religious and other groups from using coercion or threats to solicit funds from followers. Many Unification Church followers claim they were forced to join, left in poverty, or neglected because of their parents' devotion to the group.

Dec. 10: New Japan Law Aims at UC Fundraising Abuses (Associated Press)

QuoteThe new law, approved at this year's closing parliamentary session, allows believers, other donors and their families to seek the return of their money and prohibits religious groups and other organizations from soliciting funds by coercion, threats or linking donations to spiritual salvation.

Dec. 12: Japan's New Law On High-Pressure Religious Donation Tactics Leaves Holes (The Mainichi)

Dec. 26: Government Guidelines Define Child Abuse From Religious Parents (The Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteFor example, slapping children with a hand or a whip because of their behavior during religious activities is physical abuse, the draft guidelines say.

Parents will commit mental abuse by forcing children to engage in religious activities through threats including saying they will "go to hell" if they don't. Another example of mental abuse is when parents restrict their children's freedom to make life choices, such as marriage, study or work, based on religious grounds. The draft guidelines also say that if parents don't allow their children to receive medical treatment, such as blood transfusions, on religious grounds, the case should be considered "neglect." ...

Children of followers of the Unification Church or other religious organizations have informed ruling and opposition lawmakers about their experience of abuse at the hands of their parents.They highlighted how public authorities have said that their problems are "religious" issues and have been hesitant to provide help.

2023

Jan. 10: How Shinzo Abe's Murder & His Ties to Moonies Blindsided Japanese Politics (The Guardian)

Feb. 23: Ex-Followers Seek 1.6 Billion Yen from UC (Asahi Shimbun)

March 2: Hatoyama, Fukuda Declined Invites to Church event in Seoul (The Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteOfficials of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), which is affiliated with the Unification Church, asked Yukio Hatoyama, the first prime minister from the Democratic Party of Japan in 2009, to attend a UPF event in 2019, church sources said.

A year earlier, Yasuo Fukuda, a Liberal Democratic Party prime minister for one year from 2007, was also asked to attend the UPF event planned for Seoul.

Both Hatoyama and Fukuda told The Asahi Shimbun that they rejected the invites because the Unification Church, now formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, was in the news over its suspicious methods in obtaining huge donations from followers. ...

In response to questions from The Asahi Shimbun, Hatoyama said he was asked a number of times in 2019 to attend the UPF event. When he declined, a church official said the sky was the limit for an appearance fee. Although no specific amount was specified, Hatoyama said he still refused.

March 3. An Unholy Alliance: How the UC Penetrated Japan's Ruling Liberal Democratic Party (Nippon)

March 8: Who Are 'the Moonies' & How is The UC Linked to Shinzo Abe's Murder (SBS Dateline)


March 16: In the Grip of the Unification Church: The Story of a Former Second-Generation Follower (Nippon)

QuoteThe woman's parents had an arranged marriage and wed in a mass weddings Moon presided over. This made the woman one of what the UC calls the "blessed second generation," who according to UC teachings are born free of original sin and so occupy a special presence within the movement. ...

The woman tells how her parents placed the UC before everything else, even family. "From the time I was a small child, my mother would be away from home for six months at a time doing missionary work overseas," she says, adding that while in elementary school she was made to go on some of these trips abroad. Her father, a local leader in the UC, was involved in church activities from morning until night. "We were never able to build a normal parent-child relationship."

As an adolescent, she began to worry that her parents planned for her to "receive a blessing," language used in the UC to mean a marriage between church members, and give birth to children who would be third-generation followers. When her suspicions proved true, she says she finally realized that her life was being controlled by others, filling her with hopelessness. ...

"I waited for a time when my parents were busy doing work for the church," she describes. "Then I grabbed my suitcase and left." She traveled to another prefecture where an aunt and uncle lived, but her parents quickly learned her whereabouts. "They told my aunt and uncle—who were only trying to protect me—that they should commit suicide. They said they would take me back home to re-educate me because I had become a devil." Sensing real danger, she lived on the run for a time, but her parents never relented. "They followed me and even had the police bring me home on one occasion." ...

Today, the woman is severely critical of the UC. "What kind of a church champions the value of family harmony while at the same time leaving me no choice but to cut ties with my own parents? How many other children have they hurt the same way? There is no doubt in my mind that the UC is a criminal organization that disregards the rights of children. Followers need to wise up to this truth."

2023 Cont.

April 17: UC Founder Entered Japan Aided by LDP Official (The Japan News)

QuoteDiplomatic documents newly released by South Korea's foreign ministry have revealed that Unification Church-founder Sun Myung Moon was allowed to enter Japan in 1992 through the intervention of Shin Kanemaru, then vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party. Moon, whose church is formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, had served a prison sentence in the United States for tax evasion, would not have been allowed entry into Japan under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Law.

The documents suggest that Kanemaru, who was eager to normalize Japan-North Korea relations, provided special consideration to Moon, who had deep connections with influential LDP figures and was a conduit to North Korea.

May 3: An Unholy Alliance: How the UC Penetrated Japan's Ruling Liberal Democratic Party (Nippon)

QuoteThe current furor over the Unification Church, officially known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, is nothing new. The organization has been dogged by controversy since its inception. As early as the 1960s, the Japanese media took notice of the UC's activities, particularly the group's recruitment of university students, leading the Asahi Shimbun to label it in 1967 a "fundamentalist movement that makes parents weep." In the 1980s, the UC came under fire for so-called spiritual sales in which it conned followers and others of money by persuading them to buy exorbitantly priced goods like seals and urns. The organization drew further public suspicion in the 1990s for squeezing members for huge donations and conducting mass wedding ceremonies, the latter becoming news when a popular Japanese singer took part in the bizarre ritual.

The latest controversy revolves around the UC currying favor with members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and other legislators. The organization is no stranger to influence buying, as demonstrated by its involvement in the 1976 US political scandal "Koreagate." The affair centered on wealthy South Korean businessman Park Tong-sun, who funneled money to various members of the US Congress, but the UC was a core player, a fact that has largely been forgotten.

May 21: Solidarity With Japanese Ex-Moonies & Responce to Cult Apologists (Medium - Former American Member)
Note: This is one of the best articles about the surrounding issues and the "defences" used by cult apologists.

2023 Cont.

June 6: Survey: 70% of Religious Groups Welcome New Law on Donations (The Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteAbout 70 percent of religious corporations said legal changes to prevent them from conducting dubious donation collections were appropriate or somewhat appropriate, according to an Asahi Shimbun survey.

Even the Unification Church, formally called the Federation for World Peace and Unification, whose actions led to the legal revisions, said the changes were appropriate. ...

Happy Science was the only religious corporation to say the change was inappropriate because it violated the constitutional principle of separation of politics and religion. ...

Jehovah's Witness, which has been accused of abuse by second-generation believers and their lawyers, did not respond to the question about the health ministry guidelines, but said it did not condone child abuse.

July: The UC Scandal Has Put The Japanese Right in an Uncomfortable Position (Peter McGill for The Foreign Correspondents' Club Of Japan)

QuoteThe former editor of the cult's Japanese newspaper, Sekai Nippo, blew the whistle on sales quotas given to Japanese cult followers to support the money-losing Washington Times. Fired on Moon's orders, he was beaten up by toughs from the Moonie-affiliated anti-communist group Kokusai Shokyo Rengo, and then repeatedly stabbed outside his home while preparing an article critical of Moon for Bungei Shunju.

July 4: UC-Related Japan NGO to Sue Lawyers' Group for 'Defamation' (The Mainichi)

July 13: Lucrative Speaking Fees for Donald & Melania Trump Revealed in Revised Personal Financial Disclosure Filing (CNN)

QuoteA revised personal financial disclosure filing from former President Donald Trump made public Thursday offered new details about the roughly $1 billion that he appears to have earned in his post-presidential life, including lucrative speaking engagements by Trump and his wife, along with more specifics about his foreign business ventures.

Trump, who leads polls for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, was paid a total of $2 million for speaking at two Universal Peace Federation World Summits in Bedminster, New Jersey, and Palm Beach, Florida. The group was established by the late Rev. Sun-myung Moon, the Korean evangelist and businessman who founded the Unification Church, and his wife, Hak-ja Han.

Sept. 9: Editorial: Japan Gov't Should Proceed With Pursuing UC Dissolution Order (Mainichi)

Sept. 26: UC Demands Japan's NHK Cancel 'Insulting' Program (Mainichi)

QuoteThe Unification Church has published a protest against Japanese public broadcaster NHK, demanding that it stop airing and apologize for a program dealing with the religious group's recruitment methods.

NHK changed part of the program's title, which the group viewed as problematic, and aired it as scheduled. It is unusual for the Unification Church, now known formally as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, to demand the cancelation of a program before it is aired, and an expert pointed out that the group may have been seeking to discourage media coverage. ...

2023 Cont.

Oct. 13: Japan Seeks Court Order to Strip Unification Church of Legal Status in Country (Hankyoreh)

Oct. 14: Children of Unification Church Members Welcome Dissolution; Impacts on Religious Freedom Concerns (The Japan News)

QuoteSecond-generation family members of followers of the scandal-plagued Unification Church have hailed the government's decision to seek a court order to dissolve the organization. Some religious groups, however, have voiced concerns that the move could impinge on religious freedom.

"We're finally standing on the start line," said a woman in her 30s whose parents are members of the church, at a press conference in Tokyo on Thursday. "I hope society as a whole will deliver relief to the victims and continue to be strongly concerned about how the religious organization operates."...

The group offers support and advice to second-generation family members, and it reportedly still receives many complaints from people who are "struggling to get by" and "want to die" after family members made large donations to the church.

"Seeking a court order to dissolve the organization hasn't resolved all the problems. I want the government to establish a framework that can extend a helping hand to people who are in distress," the woman said.

The government's decision was also welcomed by Tatsuo Hashida, whose former wife is a follower of the Unification Church. She made large donations to the group which wrecked their family and reportedly led to their oldest son taking his own life. "I've come this far while constantly thinking about my son," said Hashida, 65, from Kochi Prefecture. "I'm just so grateful" that the government has taken this step.

Oct. 14: Shinzo Abe Assassination: The True Power in Japan of Cult the UC (South China Morning Post/Internet Archive)
Note to Self: Explore further former member and current member comments for other threads.

QuoteIn retrospect, Abe's relationship with the Unification Church looks exactly like the political landmine it turned out to be. Yamaguchi and his lawyers' group wrote repeatedly over the years to politicians in the LDP and other parties, urging them to cut ties with the Moonies.

Abe himself may have recognised the risks. In 2003, a Japanese journalist named Yoshifu Arita, who had written about the Unification Church, appeared on a television talk show alongside Abe, then a senior LDP lawmaker.

Arita, who later served in parliament with a party opposed to the LDP, tells me that during a commercial break he asked Abe if the Moonies had ever approached him. Abe said yes, they were very persistent about it, and he tried to avoid them. Abe's ambitions appear to have changed his mind.

Oct. 17: UC Slams Japan's Dissolution Request as a Threat to Religious Freedom (The Mainichi)

Oct. 19: Journalist Suzuki Eito & His Battle Against the Former UC (Nippon)

Quote"Most publications completely ignored me," recalls Suzuki. "The editors would say things like 'that politician has no name value' or 'the former Unification Church isn't a hot topic.' I had to endure that kind of treatment for a very long time."

Oct. 26: Unification Church-Linked Group Paid Trump $2.5 mil. for Video Messages (Mainichi)

QuoteFormer U.S. President Donald Trump received some $2.5 million from the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), a Unification Church affiliated group, to make video appearances on three occasions between 2021 and 2022, while former Vice President Mike Pence was paid $550,000 for speaking at a UPF event, the Mainichi Shimbun has confirmed by acquiring U.S. official records and checking them with court documents in Japan.

Meanwhile, the UPF has maintained that the group didn't pay former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who made a video appearance at its event in September 2021. If this is true, we must question why Abe agreed to speak for the event free of charge. In the video, Abe said he "highly appreciated" the Unification Church, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, for its efforts to "place importance on the value of family." This video appearance is believed to have been one of the triggers for his assassination in July 2022.

Nov. 10: The Abe Assassination & Political Power: Journalist Arita Yoshifu on Religion & Politics (Nippon)

QuoteArita has been covering the Unification Church since the late 1980s. His reporting subsequently led the Asahi Journal tabloid to mount a campaign to shut down the church's "spiritual sales" of goods claimed to hold miraculous efficacy.

"The church originally raised money by selling flowers, handkerchiefs, and socks, but that never generated significant revenue, so they shifted to miracle-working trinkets in the late 1970s," explains Arita.

The objects claimed to have supernatural powers included urns, miniature pagodas, seals, pendants, and rings. The church sold these knick-knacks for dozens of times more than they were worth. When Ariyoshi's articles were published, his exposés made him a target for attacks.

"I received numerous phone calls with nobody speaking on the other end, and I was frequently followed. One day, a man came up to me on the subway steps, punched me, and said 'remember my face.' I received threatening letters in which razor blades had been concealed in such a way as to cut the person opening them," he reveals.

Dec. 5: Former US Head of UC Attended Kishida Meeting (The Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteA former leader of the Unification Church's U.S. branch sat in on a meeting in Tokyo in 2019 between future Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, sources said.

Michael Jenkins visited Kishida, who was the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's policy chief at the time, with Gingrich at the party's headquarters on Oct. 4, 2019, the sources said.

2024

Jan. 19: Gov't Panel Compiles Measures To Help Japan's UC Victims (Mainichi Shimbun)

QuoteThe panel compiled support measures based on the testimonies of former believers and the children they raised, known as second-generation followers. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who chaired the meeting, stated the government's intent to further enhance support for those who were victimized by the group, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

The measures will include training courses led by ex-believers and second-generation followers aimed at helping consultation service providers understand victims' feelings, job search support for second-generation followers with low income, and services such as school counseling for their children.

Feb. 7: Editorial - Japan Education Minister's Ties to UC Demands Renewed LDP Probe (The Mainichi)

Feb. 10: Editorial: Moriyama Unfit As Japan Culture Minister After UC Ties Emerge (Mainichi Shimbun)

Feb. 19: 37 Consultation Requests Made By Kids Regarding UC Worries (Mainichi Shimbun)

QuoteKazunori Yamanoi. The government said that as of the end of January there were 24 cases of children seeking advice from school counsellors, and 13 where they called a Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology support line with worries relating to the group, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

By topic and with multiple selections possible, 24 cases involved the home environment -- the most common concern -- and five consultations from junior high students were about stopping going to school. More than one case with high school counselors involved physical and mental health, academic choices and other points.

In November 2022, the education ministry asked prefectural education boards and others to implement guidance services regarding the Unification Church. This was so that schools would not respond passively to students' problems just because they were religious in nature.

March 2024

March 27: Japan Court Imposes Fine on Unification Church (UCA News)

QuoteA trial court in Japan has imposed a fine on the Unification Church for failing to respond to some of the questions related to its controversial collection of hefty donations from its members. Tomihiro Tanaka, president of the Unification Church in Japan, was fined 100,000 Yen (around US$660) on March 26 for failing to answer more than 100 of some 500 questions, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) reported.

March 28: Six Linked to Church Attended Kishida-Gingrich Meeting in 2019 (The Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteA bevy of people connected to the Unification Church accompanied former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich during his visit to future Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2019 in Tokyo. All but two of the eight-member contingent had ties to the church, The Asahi Shimbun has learned. ...

Gingrich visited Kishida on Oct. 4, 2019, at the headquarters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo along with Michael Jenkins, the current president of UPF International. Jenkins was president of the U.S. branch of the Unification Church between 2000 and 2009. Masayoshi Kajikuri, chairman of UPF Japan, was also in attendance, Gingrich said. Kishida was the LDP's policy chief at the time. The meeting was arranged by UPF Japan, according to Gingrich. Gingrich is known for his close ties to the UPF, having spoken at several of the organization's large-scale gatherings.

June 19: Psychiatric Exam Finds Ex-Japan PM Abe Shooter Mentally Fit (Kyodo News)

2024 Cont.

July 6: Only 8% of Religious Group Followers' Children Back Government Remedy Steps (Kyodo News)

QuoteIn the survey, conducted in May and June with responses from 120 family members of avid followers of the Unification Church, Jehovah's Witnesses and other religious groups, 89 percent said they had been abused by their families and other relatives.

The survey also showed that 72 percent of respondents experienced hardship from people outside their families because of their faith, such as being bullied at school or denied access to higher education, underscoring a lack of adequate relief measures for them. ...

A total of 107 out of the 120 respondents said they had been abused by their families. Examples are forced adherence to faiths through threats of not paying school fees, restrictions imposed on who they can marry, physical violence, bloodshed, and whipping.

July 8: Two Years After Fatal Shooting of Abe, Unification Church Issues Remain (Kyodo News)

QuoteMonday marks two years since former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot, while issues related to the Unification Church and the plight of "second-generation" members of religious groups that drew attention afterward remain unsolved.

In the wake of the incident, the Japanese parliament enacted a law to ban maliciously solicited donations, while the government has requested the Tokyo District Court to issue an order to dissolve the Unification Church over donation solicitation practices.

Dissolution would deprive the group, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, of its tax benefits as a religious corporation, although the organization could still continue its activities in Japan.

Second-generation members say they are still struggling with the impact of being born into a family of avid followers, such as being denied access to higher education or employment. But the government's steps to provide remedies, including the implementation of the law to ban malicious solicitation of donations, are not enough, they said.

July 11: Top Court Rules That Pledge Not to Sue Unification Church is Invalid (Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteThe Supreme Court on July 11 ruled that a statement written by a former follower of the Unification Church promising not to seek compensation from the group is invalid, opening the door to her daughter pursuing damages. ...

In this lawsuit, the eldest daughter of a former Unification Church follower, who is deceased, is seeking 65.8 million yen ($407,000) in damages from the church and a church follower who solicited her mother to donate. The daughter, who is in her 60s, stated that the church and the follower "made her mother to donate money by stoking her anxiety that she would be unhappy if she did not donate."

July 11: Top Court Rules Unification Church No-Refund Document Invalid (Kyodo News)

QuoteJapan's top court on Thursday overturned a lower court ruling that had absolved the Unification Church from returning donations to the family of a late former member, deeming that a document the woman signed preventing her from seeking refunds was invalid.

In the first ruling by the Supreme Court on donations to the religious group, its First Petty Bench sent the case back to the Tokyo High Court, citing insufficient examination of whether the organization had acted illegally.

The woman's family is seeking around 65 million yen ($402,000) in damages from the group. Many other members are known to have signed and submitted similar documents to the Unification Church, which has been under renewed scrutiny since former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated, allegedly by the disgruntled son of a member.

"If the way donations are solicited significantly deviates from societal norms, it is appropriate to deem it illegal," the court said, referring to circumstances where donors are unable to make informed decisions.

2024 Cont.

Aug. 27: Unification Church Hit With Fresh Fines for Impeding Government Inquiry (Kyodo News)

QuoteA Japanese court on Tuesday fined the Unification Church with a 100,000 yen ($690) penalty for refusing to respond to the government's inquiry into its alleged illegal donation solicitations. Upholding a lower court decision, the Tokyo High Court rejected the controversial religious organization's appeal. The group has come under renewed public scrutiny after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot in July 2022 during an election stump speech over his perceived links to the church.

Oct. 7: Ex-Staffer Details How Unification Church Backed an LDP Candidate (Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteAt the meeting, it was agreed that the religious groups would support the LDP candidates in the proportional representation section of the Upper House election.

The subsequent efforts that the religious groups made in supporting the LDP's elections has come to light from the man's story. The 43-year-old man who lives in Fukuoka was working in the Fukuoka office of Kitamura when he ran in the Upper House election for the first time in 2013. The man presented numerous documents from the office during the interview. ...

In mid-June 2013, a senior staff member at the office said, "The Federation for World Peace will support us in the election," to other staff members, soon after he returned from a business trip to Tokyo. The man became worried if it was acceptable to agree to the support, because he knew that the religious group was connected with the Unification Church through his experiences with political movements.

Nov. 28: How Will the Unification Church Scandal Pan Out? (Nippon)

January & February 2025

Jan. 10: Why Are There So Many Cults in Japan? (Japan Today)

QuoteSocietal upheaval and social turmoil have played major roles in the development of cults in Japan. A few major cults originated in the 1860s during the violent Bakumatsu period, right before the Meiji restoration. However, the past century has seen a major development in the number of new religions, or "cults," in Japan.

Experts suggest that the end of emperor worship and the abolition of State Shinto after WWII created a spiritual vacuum in Japan. The Allied occupation also reshaped Japan's government, lifting censorship on religious organizations and granting them tax exemptions. During the economic boom of the 1970s and 1980s, growing alienation from an increasingly materialistic society drove many Japanese people toward new religions, leading to the rise of more cults and gurus.

In recent years, the number of new members joining these new religions has increased while attendance at traditional places of worship like Buddhist temples has declined. Today, there are about 183,000 officially registered religions in Japan, and about 2,000 of them have a substantial following. Some are not even religions at all but cover for organized crime or tax evasion. It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of Japan's population is connected to one of these new religions. ...

Although Abe was not a member of the Unification Church, he appeared remotely as a speaker at a church event in 2021. Additionally, his grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, is believed to have cultivated ties with the church due to their shared anti-communist ideology. Following Abe's assassination, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida launched an investigation into the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It revealed that nearly half of its lawmakers (179 out of 379) had some form of connection to the Unification Church.

Feb. 4: 'Grave Consequences': Japan Warned on Campaign Against Church (Ben Wolfgang for the UC-Owned Washington Times)

QuoteJapan would deal a massive blow to the universal principle of religious freedom, could deeply damage its relationship with the U.S. and would hand a major win to communist China if it follows through with an effort to punish the Unification Church, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich warned.

Mr. Gingrich and other prominent political and spiritual figures Tuesday night told this week's International Religious Freedom Summit 2025 in Washington that the Japanese government's push to dissolve the Unification Church and seize its assets is the most recent communist-backed attack on the church, which has operated in the country since the late 1950s.

"The Biden administration has already condemned this activity. The United Nations has already condemned this activity. And now, with President Trump, we have somebody who is deeply, passionately committed to religious liberty," Mr. Gingrich said in a prerecorded video address to the summit.

March 2025

March 25: Court Orders Unification Church Demise Over Donations (Asahi Shimbun)

QuoteIf the dissolution order is finalized, the group will lose its status as a religious corporation, depriving it of tax benefits such as exemption from corporate tax on income from its religious activities. However, the religious activities themselves, such as faith and proselytizing, will not be prohibited.

March 26: UC Victims Voice Joy Over Stripping of Group's Legal Status (The Japan Times)

QuoteA woman in her 30s whose father is still a believer said that he and her mother, a former believer, have donated at least several tens of millions of yen to the Unification Church. "It wasn't an organization that should have received tax benefits as a religious corporation," she said, expressing her happiness with the order.

A man in his 60s whose wife is a former follower of the group called Tuesday's court order "a milestone." Noting that some people are likely to continue to believe the teachings of the Unification Church even after it loses its status as a religious corporation, he said, "I hope the families of believers will raise their voices and seek help, including from public consultation services."

Tatsuo Hashida, 67, who leads a group of victims and their supporters in Kochi Prefecture, said his former wife donated ¥100 million ($665,000) to the Unification Church. "The order is no surprise," Hashida told a news conference in the city of Kochi. "I knew how bad (the Unification Church) was, so I believed the order would be issued."

March 26: Court Wary of Future Harm from Unification Church, Deems Illegal Donations Were Systemic, Prolonged (The Japan News/Yomuri Shimbun)

QuoteWith the harm caused by the Unification Church amounting to more than ¥20 billion over four decades, the Tokyo District Court focused on the scale of the damage and deemed that the organization systematically solicited illegal donations when it ordered the church's dissolution on Tuesday. ...

"The harm caused by the Unification Church accumulated over a long period of time and affected a wide range of people, which must have led to the impression that the group's characteristic of tolerating illegal acts has not changed," a veteran judge said about Tuesday's decision. ...

The district court acknowledged the ministry's assertion that over ¥20 billion in damage occurred over a 40-year period, with most of it inflicted as part of the Unification Church's religious activities. The court then concluded that it "can be said that in terms of societal norms, these were acts of the religious organization." A veteran judge said, "With this many serious illegal acts presented, a court can't disregard them just because they weren't criminal cases."

March 27: What is The Unification Church & Why Does it Face Dissolution in Japan? (ABC Australia)

QuoteDr Jeffrey Hall from Kanda University of International Studies told the ABC's The World program the Liberal Democratic Party was still dealing with the fallout. "More than half of the party was involved in some way, be it attending church events or relying on volunteers from the church, or appearing in church-sponsored publications," Mr Hall said.

Donald Trump, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush all had links with the organisation at some stage. Former prime minster Abe had spoken at a church-affiliated event previously. Donald Trump did too before coming US leader. "It's said that Donald Trump received more than $US2 million to speak at some of their events,"  Mr Hall said. "They [politicians] lent credibility to the church and thus helped the church to raise money ... and convince people, or the people's families that, 'we're not a shady organisation, it's OK to give lots of money to us — look, Donald Trump is speaking on our behalf," he said.

March 27: Editorial: Relief for Victims of Unification Church Remains a Top Priority (Asahi Shimbun)

March 27: Head of Japan's UC Vows to Fight Loss of Legal Protections (Reuters)

QuoteThe head of the Unification Church's Japan branch vowed to fight a court order revoking its legal protections, following a scandal over fundraising practices and links to the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Tomihiro Tanaka, the Japanese president of the group now known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, told reporters on Thursday the group had settled all cases of damages levelled against it and the court's order was an attack on religious freedom.

This marks the third time a Japanese court has acted to dissolve a religious corporation due to legal breaches, according to public broadcaster NHK. The first two involved Aum Shinrikyo, a cult that carried out a fatal sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway 30 years ago, and a temple group involved in fraud, NHK said.

March 28: Japan's UC Leader Hits Out at Dissolution Order (Union of Catholic Education News)

April 2025

April 8: UC to Defy Order in Japan to Dissolve With Mass Wedding (Korea JoongAng Daily)

QuoteThe Unification Church will stand strong against the "religious oppression" of the Japanese judiciary and marry off 5,000 couples this weekend, the Korean church's leader said Tuesday.

April 8: Hokkaido Group Set as Recipient of UC Assets (The Japan Times)

QuoteThe Unification Church designated 16 years ago a religious corporation in Hokkaido as the recipient of its assets in case it is disbanded. A group of lawyers working to help victims of the Unification Church fear that the possible transfer of assets may enable the effective continuation of its religious activities and give rise to new damage.

The 2009 decision immediately followed a police raid on a Unification Church facility after believers were arrested by Tokyo police over the high-priced sale of seals.

April 14: In the Shadow of a Murder: Religious Freedom Vs the Social Good in Japan (Professor Roy Starrs, PhD. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs)

QuoteThe assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzō Abe exposed unexpected ties between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Unification Church, a global religious organization founded in South Korea and notorious for its abusive practices. The incident reignited one of Japan's most controversial debates: the intersection of politics and religion. This article examines the historical instances of collusion between the state and church in Japan, analyzing how these dynamics played a role in Shinzō Abe's assassination. It argues that Japanese lawmakers must take steps to sever ties with such religious organizations, in accordance with the country's post-war Constitution. Additionally, it calls for clearer legislation to both protect and compensate victims of religious abuse while balancing the delicate task of preserving religious freedom and regulating harmful religious practices.

April 23: 'Happiness, Love' at Moonie Mass Wedding After Japanese Court Blow (France 24)

QuoteSince the 1960s, the church is believed to have generated as much as 80 percent of its global revenues from Japan, according to Levi McLaughlin, a religious studies professor at North Carolina State University. During Japan's 1980s bubble economy, its branch reportedly sent up to 10 billion yen ($70 million) per month to the South Korean headquarters.

Japanese followers are told to "atone" for the country's colonial past, and McLaughlin told AFP the mass weddings have been framed as a form of "indemnity". The church plays a role in match-making couples, experts say, with Japanese women often matched with non-Japanese men -- and critics slam the cult-like cutting of family ties that sometimes results.

May & June 2025

May 4: The UC Dissolution & Japan's Evolving Religious Governance (East Asia Forum)

QuoteBut the state still maintains a high degree of discretion in its relationships with organisations registered under the Religious Juridical Persons Law. Aum Shinrikyo was the first to be dissolved through a court order, upheld by the Supreme Court in 1996, and the three decades since have seen only two more such incidents. In 2002, the Myokakuji group was dissolved after its leaders were convicted of fraud and in 2006, the Osaka High Court upheld a decision to dissolve the religious corporation Dainichizan Hokekyoji following a civil lawsuit involving a dispute between private actors.

June 2: Opinion - Japan Needs anti-SLAPP Laws As Journalist Sued by UC Affiliates (Mainichi Shimbun)