2022-25: The Murder of Shinzo Abe & Its Aftermath

[Peter Daley]

July 24: Second-Gen. of UC Members in Japan Sue for 320 Million Yen in Damages (Mainichi Shimbun)

These "second-generation" members claim that their parents prevented them from making free decisions and caused them severe psychological harm. The plaintiffs hold the church responsible rather than their parents, arguing that the parents' actions were strongly influenced by the church's teachings.

According to the plaintiffs' attorney, this is believed to be the first class action by second-generation members. The plaintiffs argue, "The church instructed parents to prioritize religious practice over the human rights of their children, severely distorting the environment in which the second generation grew up. These children suffered abusive acts that violated their rights to freedom of religion and marriage, among others."

July 31: UC Land Seized for Donation Refunds (Asahi Shimbun)

The Tokyo District Court issued the ruling on July 18 in response to a request by 10 women in their 50s to 80s who are former members of the religious organization. The women claim to have collectively lost 227 million yen ($1.52 million) to the former Unification Church, through what they describe as exploitative donation extraction practices. ...

The land, located in the upscale Shoto district, is estimated to have roughly the same value as what the 10 women are seeking in damages. The women's legal team warned of a growing risk that the group could hide or transfer assets, since the government-ordered dissolution of the church could be finalized as early as this year.

"Given the high risk of asset concealment, securing the land where the headquarters stands—a symbol of the organization—is highly significant," lead attorney Susumu Murakoshi said at the news conference.

Sept. 22: Defense Team to Claim 'Religious Abuse' Prompted Abe's Slaying (Asahi Shimbun)

[Peter Daley]

October 2025

Oct. 1: UN Experts Concerned by Continued Stigmatisation of Religious Minorities (UN Human Rights Office)

"While the pamphlets highlighted important information about child abuse and offered a highly valuable line of contact between young people and the State regarding their human rights, it is disappointing that the pamphlets appear to target some practices and activities, especially those of Jehovah's Witnesses," the experts said. "Rather than protecting children who belong to religion or belief minorities, these materials risk contributing to their bullying and marginalisation," they said. Consultations with civil society and minorities in relation to the "Q&A on Responses to Child Abuse Related to Religious Beliefs, etc." ("Q&A Guidelines"), can help address these discriminatory concerns, they said.

Oct. 2: First Arbitration Concludes With UC To Pay Victims (Mainichi Shimbun)

The arbitration case filed with the Tokyo District Court was one of over 180 cases brought by victims seeking around 6 billion yen over the issue, which came to light following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022 by a man who claimed to hold a grudge against the church due to its aggressive fundraising.

The group of attorneys known as Lawyers from Across Japan for the Victims of the Unification Church began arbitration proceedings in July 2023, following the church's refusal to engage in collective bargaining over the matter.

A woman who was swindled out of around 36 million yen by the church said that she "hopes other victims will reach a resolution soon," adding that she had been frustrated by the deception.

Oct. 3: UC Reaches Settlement with 3 Former Followers (Nippon TV)

These are the first settlements reached in a group mediation involving about 190 former members and others seeking damages totaling more than 5.9 billion yen. Lawyers from across Japan for the Victims of the Unification Church said the three former followers are women in their 80s. The lawyers' group said the development opens the possibility of relief for many other victims.

Oct. 3: Japan Court to Deliver Ruling on Ex-PM Abe's Shooter in January (Mainichi Shimbun)

[Peter Daley]

Oct. 22: A Son's Anger & A Mother's Faith: The Family History Behind The Abe Shooting Suspect (Mainichi Shimbun)

Oct. 22: Former PM Shinzo Abe Killer's Mother to Testify in Court (The Japan News/Yomuri Shimbun)

The mother of Tetsuya Yamagami, indicted for killing former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a handmade gun in Nara in 2022, will go to court as a defense witness, it was learned Wednesday. ...

The defense witnesses include the mother, who went into personal bankruptcy after donating a total of around ¥100 million to the religious cult, his younger sister and a religion scholar well versed in the issue of massive donations to cults and their spiritual sales.

Oct. 27: Editorial: Trial of Abe's killer Must Delve Deep to Reveal the Truth of the Crime (Asahi Ahimbun)

Unraveling the motive will be an important factor for deciding on the punishment. We hope that the trial will look into the background of the incident as well as provide once again for the wide sharing with society of child abuse stemming from religious beliefs and the actual situation surrounding the church. ...

Then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that the party would sever all ties with the church. But efforts by church members to again approach politicians to provide support during elections have recurred.

Oct. 29: Hearings on UC Dissolution Order to End in November (The Japan Times)

Defendant Tetsuya Yamagami, 45, accused of murdering Abe in the July 2022 shooting, had said he was motivated by a grudge against the Unification Church, of which his mother was a follower. This raised public awareness of the issue of massive donations to the group by believers and shed light on its ties with conservative Japanese politicians.

So far, the high court has held closed hearings four times. According to the Unification Church, the fourth session examined testimony by two believers as requested by the group. Of the two, a South Korean national in her 50s who married a Japanese man at a mass wedding organized by the group claimed that she was discriminated against after the shooting.

The other witness, a Unification Church staff worker in his 30s, showed concern that defamation of believers will escalate after the disbandment order. Sources said that the high court asked both sides to submit final written arguments by Nov. 21, which means that the appeal proceedings will end soon. The court may give its judgment early next year.

If the court upholds the disbandment order, the process to liquidate the Unification Church will start immediately. The group can continue activities as an unincorporated association, but it must dispose of properties, including facilities for worship, and it will be unable to receive tax benefits.

[Peter Daley]

November 2025

Nov. 13: Yamagami Mother keeps Faith in UC, Apologizes For Son (The Chosun Daily)

Nov. 14: Mother of Abe Shooter Apologizes, Still Follows UC; Accused Avoids Eye Contact (The Japan News)

According to the mother's testimony, her husband committed suicide in 1984. In August 1991, she joined the organization. At that time, her eldest son — the defendant's older brother — had lost sight in one eye, and the defendant was in elementary school.

The mother said she joined the religion after a young woman visited her home and asked, "Is your family doing well?" The mother told the woman about her eldest son and received an invitation to a Unification Church facility.

The mother said she donated ¥20 million to the group immediately after joining. "[I was] deeply troubled by my husband's suicide and my eldest son's surgery," she explained. About six months later, she donated another ¥30 million. "My sick eldest son was a major factor," she said, adding that she believed the donations would save him.

According to her testimony, the source of the total ¥50 million was a life insurance payout after her husband's death. She also said that she sold property and other items following the death of the defendant's grandfather in 1998 and donated about another ¥40 million. She is said to have donated ¥100 million in total.

She told the court that she bought paintings from the group for about ¥700,000 to ¥1 million each and a pot for about ¥700,000. She also took a trip to South Korea, where the Church's headquarters are located, leaving the defendant, who was a minor back then, and his older brother at home.

When the defense attorney pointed out that the timing of the defendant's enrollment in school coincided with the donations, the mother said, "I thought that donating was more important than [education]."

Nov. 14: Biggest Crisis Yet For Head of Former UC (NHK Japan/ Video)

[Peter Daley]

Nov. 15: UC in Japan to Pay 19.7 Billion Won to Victims of Large Donations"Includes South Korean Residents (Asia Business Daily)

The "Family Federation Victims' Legal Team," which has been supporting individuals harmed by large donations and other practices of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church, hereinafter referred to as the "Family Federation") in Japan, announced on November 14 that, as a result of civil mediation, the organization has agreed to pay approximately 2.1 billion yen (about 19.7 billion won) in damages to 132 claimants. Among the victims are residents of South Korea....

Attorney Susumu Murakoshi, a member of the legal team, commented on the organization's change in attitude-having previously refused civil mediation-by saying, "Now that the dissolution order feels more realistic, they may be seeking a way to prolong their existence," and added, "The number of victims who have actually resolved their issues remains extremely small."

Nov. 19: Even after Abe's Death, Suspect's Mother Stays Faithful to UC (Japan Times)

The mother of Tetsuya Yamagami, who is standing trial in connection with the 2022 killing of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, told a court she feels guilty for her son's actions, saying that she herself "is the perpetrator," media outlets have reported.

Despite this, the mother, who appeared at the Nara District Court as a defense witness on Tuesday, said she wants to keep her faith in the Unification Church, a controversial religious group.

The church's influence on her family has become a focal point of the murder trial, as the defense hopes to portray Yamagami as a victim of child abuse as part of efforts to seek leniency....

The mother, who joined the group in 1991, made donations of over ¥100 million, including money the family received as insurance payouts after her husband's suicide, and was eventually declared bankrupt. Yamagami has told investigators he long held a grudge against the church and targeted Abe after learning that the politician contributed a video message to a church-affiliated group.

The mother has also admitted that, when the defendant attempted suicide in 2005 while serving with the Maritime Self-Defense Force, she was in South Korea, where the religious group is based. She did not head back to Japan immediately upon learning about the attempted suicide, however, because she "heard a voice from God not to go back," according to her reported testimony.

After that incident, Yamagami's uncle protested the church and had ¥50 million of the donated money returned, the mother said. While part of that money was paid to Yamagami, the largest portion was spent on the elder brother of the defendant, who had a severe illness and later died by suicide.

Nov. 21: Abe Assassin's Family had "Nothing to Eat" Because of Mother's 100mil. Donation to UC (Nippon TV -Includes Video)

Nov. 26: Yamagami: No Anger at Abe But Fear He Could Legitimize Church (Asahi Shimbun)
Note to Self: Compare timeline of events to apologists blaming the murder on lawyers who support cult victims.

During the trial, the defense team has emphasized that Yamagami's life went downhill after his father killed himself and his mother donated heavily to the church. Yamagami attempted suicide in 2005 on thoughts of leaving insurance money to his older brother and younger sister, left the Maritime Self-Defense Force where he was employed, and returned home.

To make a living, he obtained licenses as a real estate agent and a level-2 financial planner over the next few years. While researching the deed of his old family home, he discovered that his mother had sold the house to provide more donations to the church.

"A huge shock" came in 2015, when his brother, who had opposed their mother's faith, committed suicide. Yamagami said two people connected to the church appeared at the brother's wake and suddenly began performing a church ritual in front of the coffin. "Stop it, please leave," Yamagami told them, but to no avail, he said. "I could do nothing but watch in silence, but I thought, 'How could they do such a thing?'" he said in court.

[Peter Daley]

December 2025

Dec. 5: Yamagami Ends Testimony With First Apology to Abe's Family (Asahi Shimbun)

Dec. 6: Head of UC in Japan to Resign as Court Case Continues (The Japan News)

Tanaka is expected to hold a press conference as early as next week to announce his resignation and explain his reasons, the sources said. He also plans to apologize to former adherents of the church and others who have complained about damage caused by large donations to the group, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, according to the sources.

Dec. 6: Japanese PM-Assassin Hearing Puts Fraudulent Religious Groups Under Scrutiny (Caliber)

Dec. 9: UC's Japan Head Resigns (Nippon)

Dec. 10: UC Japan Leader Resigns Ahead of Court Ruling (Union of Catholic Asian News)

Tanaka, 69, announced his resignation at a press conference at the group's headquarters in Tokyo. He said the resignation took immediate effect, while offering an apology to people who suffered psychological and financial harm. "We must not underestimate the deep pain caused to some people," Tanaka said. "I take this seriously and apologize.

The National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales, representing former followers and families, issued a statement shortly after the announcement, saying Tanaka's apology must be backed by concrete accountability measures, including compensation.

"If this constitutes a withdrawal of the organization's long-held claim that 'there are no victims or unlawful acts,' then the Unification Church should immediately withdraw the many SLAPP [Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation] lawsuits it has filed against lawyers and journalists, face all victims, including second-generation members, with sincerity, and provide compensation for their suffering," lead attorney Susumu Murakoshi said in a statement. ...

Another member of the network, attorney Masaki Kito, wrote on X: "Today's press conference was not at the level of a standard resignation announcement; if anything, it conveyed the message that the Unification Church will not change at all going forward. It can only be described as a press conference lacking sincerity."

Dec. 15: Unification Church Issues Public Apology (UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)

Dec. 18: Prosecutors Demand Life Sentence For Shooter of Ex-Japan Prime Minister Abe (Mainichi Shimbun)

Dec. 18: Prosecutors Seek Life Sentence for Yamagami Over Abe's Death (Asahi Shimbun)

Dec. 18: Tokyo Court Orders Former UC to Pay Damages Over Large Donations (NHK World Japan/Internet Archive)
Note: Compare with Related Apologist Articles

The former follower, who died four years ago at the age of 91, donated a total of more than 100 million yen, or about 640,000 dollars, to the group from 2005 through 2010.

She signed a written pledge in 2015, at the age of 86, stating that she would not seek a refund. Her daughter sought compensation of more than 65 million yen from the group. The daughter said her mother was forced to make large donations through the group's illegal solicitation.

After the district and high courts dismissed the claim, the Supreme Court ruled the written pledge invalid and ordered the high court to reexamine the case. It pointed out that the former follower was diagnosed with dementia about six months after submitting the document.

In Thursday's ruling, the presiding judge said that as a result of the large donations, the woman was forced to live on about 90,000 yen, or around 580 dollars, a month and borrow money from acquaintances. She went on to say that the situation caused the woman significant difficulties in maintaining her livelihood.

The judge pointed out that the group's solicitation of donations went beyond what is considered socially acceptable and was illegal. This is the first ruling to invalidate such a written pledge and find the group's solicitation of donations illegal. The ruling is expected to affect efforts to seek compensation from the group.

Dec. 21: Japanese Prosecutors Seek Life Sentence for Abe Assassin (UPI - Owned by Preston Moon)

[Peter Daley]

January 2026

Jan. 1: The Trial of Abe's Assassin Is a Test of Takaichi's Appetite for Political Reform (The Diplomat)

Jan. 2: UC Reportedly Backed 290 LDP Lawmakers in 2021 Poll (The Japan Times)

Jan. 21: Shinzo Abe's Killer Sentenced to Life in Prison Over Shooting of Japanese Former PM (The Guardian)

Jan. 22: Abe Shooter's Ill-Fated Background Denied as Key Factor (Nippon)

Jan. 22: Editorial - Japan Must Learn From UC Damage After Abe Assassination Ruling (The Mainichi)

Jan. 25: Former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe's Killer Motivated by 'Disgust' at Links to UC (ABC)

Jan. 26: How Shinzo Abe's Assassination Brought The Moonies Back Into The Limelight (The New Yorker -Internet Archive)

Oach, that is a bad pun:

Published in the print edition of the February 2, 2026, issue, with the headline "Moon Shot."

Jan. 27: Japan Ex-PM Abe Mentioned 500 Times in UC Document (The Mainichi)

Jan. 27: Report Indicates Noda's Past Ties to UC Affiliate (The Asahi Shimbun)

Jan. 30: Takaichi Reportedly Hid UC's Fundraiser Ticket Purchases (The Japan Times)

[Peter Daley]

February 2026

Feb. 2: Takaichi Skipping of TV Debate Sparks Dissatisfaction from Japanese Politicians, Netizens: Is She Avoiding Key Questions Including UC Scandal (Global Times)

Feb. 4: Abe Shooter Appeals Life Sentence, Citing Injustice (The Chosun Daily)

Feb. 4: Tokyo Court to Rule on UC Dissolution Order on March 4 (The Japan Times)

Feb. 4: Yamagami Sentencing Reveals Japan's Troubled Response to Religious Cult (Nippon)

Feb. 5: Abe Assassin Hints Brother's Suicide Was Watershed Event (The Asahi Shimbun)

Feb. 5: No Comment on Report That PM Takaichi Sent Letter to UC: Japan Gov't (The Mainichi)

Feb. 6: Japan PM Takaichi's Claims on Accuracy, Source of UC Docs 'Misleading' (The Mainichi)

Feb. 18: Time for Takaichi to Tackle Japan's Political Taboos (The Japan Times)

Feb. 25: Former UC Says It's Compensating Claimants as Court Ruling Nears (NHK News)

[Peter Daley]

March 3: UC Faces Uphill Task in Japan to Fight Court's Liquidation Ruling (The South China Morning Post)

The court recognised financial harm to 1,559 people and losses totalling more than 20 billion yen (US$127.3 million). "Even if the group does appeal – and we must remember that any grounds for an appeal are very limited – that will not stop the liquidation process from beginning," said Takashi Yamaguchi, a member of the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales who is also on the board of the Japan Society for Cult Prevention and Recovery.

March 4: Japan Court Rebuffs Appeal, Orders Dissolution of Former UC (The Washinton Times - Owned by the UC)

Some 1,559 persons, backed by a group of activist lawyers and with widespread media support, claim damages against the Family Federation. They argue that worshippers were coerced into making major donations of some 20.4 billion yen, or $130 million, over 40 years and were victimized by so-called "spiritual sales" – i.e. pressured to purchase pricey talismans.

This is more balanced featuring a quotes from the UC lawyer and a victim:

March 4: Tokyo High Court Finalizes UC Dissolution (The Chosun Daily)

A woman in her 70s, whose late mother, a follower of the religious group, donated over 100 million Japanese yen (approximately 900 million Korean won) by liquidating financial assets and selling land, told reporters on the day, "I felt relieved upon hearing the decision. The dissolution is only natural." ...

Fukumoto Nobuya, 62 years old, the senior attorney who defended the case, expressed his intention to file a special appeal with the Supreme Court immediately after the decision, stating outside the court, "I cannot believe it."

March 4: Tokyo Court to Decide Whether to Order Ex-UC to Disband (NHK News)

If the order is issued, procedures will be put in motion to dispose of its assets and compensate people who suffered financial damage from the group.

March 4: Tokyo High Court Upholds Dissolution Order for UC, Liquidation Procedures to Begin (Nippon News)

March 4: Japanese Court Upholds Order to Dissolve UC (BBC News)

March 4: Tokyo High Court Upholds UC Dissolution Order (The Japan News)

March 4: UC  Ordered to Dissolve by Tokyo High Court (The Japan Times)

The lower court found that the Unification Church "caused unprecedentedly large damage over a long span of roughly 40 years." It said that 1,559 people fell prey to the Unification Church's unlawful solicitation of donations, with the total amount taken reaching about ¥20.4 billion.

In the appeal, the Unification Church argued that the lower court's finding that the group continued unlawful activities even after issuing a declaration on boosting legal compliance in 2009 was not backed by evidence. It also claimed that dissolution was unnecessary because it had agreed to collective mediation with donation victims.

March 5: Full-scale Rrelief for Victims Needed After Order to Dissolve UC (The Mainichi)

March 4: Tokyo Court to Decide Whether to Order Ex-UC to Disband (NHK News)

If the order is issued, procedures will be put in motion to dispose of its assets and compensate people who suffered financial damage from the group.

Also from the Patricia Duval's piece:

Twenty liquidators arrived at the church headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo, and closed it down. Employees were no longer allowed to enter the church and were ordered to stay at home.

I didn't believe the "ordered to stay at home" part, and a member with family and friends in Japan in the UC thought it just meant "employees were told to go home".  But it does seem that some employees were ordered to stay home incase liquidators had any questions. Perhaps that just happened to some more senior members. That is mentioned in this Asahi Shimbun here as well as below after the quote from Teddy Hose on March 10.

[Peter Daley]

March 6: 'Dangerous Precedent' for Religious Freedom: Critics Assail Tokyo Court's UC Ruling (Ben Wolfgamg and Andrew Salmon for The UC-Owned Washington Times)

Reactions poured in from around the world in the hours after the ruling, which critics cast as an unprecedented legal step by the Japanese court. More important, they said, it could be the first domino to fall in an international crackdown on religious freedom.

"Unfortunately, this decision treads into territory that benefits opponents of a free society," former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. "Having worked with Japan extensively on security and human rights matters ... I worry this precedent will harm Japan's standing as a champion of freedom in Asia and potentially advance the interests of those working against our mutual dedication to human dignity and religious freedom."

Related 1:
March 4, 2023: Trump, Pompeo Celebrate Group With UC Ties (The Asahi Shimbun)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump sent a one-minute video message to an event in Seoul organized by a group related to the Unification Church. The Universal Peace Federation opened its "Peace Summit 2023" in the South Korean capital on May 2. The event will run until May 6. ... Mike Pompeo, who was secretary of state in the Trump administration, attended the event in person and gave a speech at the podium.

Related 2:
Oct. 26, 2023: UC-linked Group Paid Trump $2.5 mil. For Video Messages (The Mainichi Shimbun)

Former 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.

[Peter Daley]

March 7: Japan Accelerates UC Dissolution Process (Seoul Economic Daily)

This marks Japan's third dissolution of a religious corporation under the Religious Corporations Act, following Aum Shinrikyo (1995), which carried out the Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, and Myokakuji (2002), which orchestrated a large-scale cash fraud scheme. Unlike the previous two cases involving criminal matters, the Unification Church is the first to have illegal conduct recognized under civil law.

However, the court's dissolution order does not mean the immediate and complete elimination of the organization. In Japan, dissolving a religious corporation strips its legal status and tax benefits, but activities as a voluntary organization remain possible. Given the church's accumulated financial resources through various businesses and organizational activities, some suggest it may continue operating under a different name or structure.

Growing negative public perception of the Unification Church throughout Japanese society is considered a variable. Public opinion has soured as the church's ties to political circles have been intensively exposed since the Abe incident. Experts project that even if the church continues activities in Japan under a different [/pre]form, its scale will likely diminish given the current atmosphere.

March 9: UC Files Special Appeal to Japan's Top Court on Dissolution (Kyodo News)

The UC on Monday filed a special appeal with Japan's top court against a high court ruling ordering its dissolution. ...

This is the first case in Japan in which a religious group has been ordered to dissolve over violations of the Civil Code. It is the third dissolution order issued for violations of laws and regulations, following two cases based on criminal violations including that of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult, which carried out the deadly 1995 nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

March 9: Ex-Minister Admits Lobbying for UC's Name Change (The Asahi Shimbun)

A former Cabinet minister has admitted to lobbying in support of the Unification Church's controversial 2015 name change, telling The Asahi Shimbun he acted because the group had provided him with crucial election support.

Yoshiaki Harada, 81, a former environment minister and Lower House member for the Liberal Democratic Party, justified his intervention by saying it was "natural for a politician to respond" to petitions from those who had helped them. ...

The church's efforts to rebrand itself began much earlier. In 1997, it consulted the Agency for Cultural Affairs about a name change, but the request was denied on the grounds that it "would help conceal the group's true identity," according to a former senior education ministry official. ...

The revelation of an alleged internal church document, the "TM Special Report," late last year shed new light on the group's political ties. The report, submitted to the church's president in South Korea, highlighted the Japanese leadership's success in cultivating relationships with LDP politicians.

It lauded Harada specifically, noting he "made a very large contribution" to the name change, and describing him as "really close to us, a person who always comes to our gatherings."

March 10: Former member Teddy Hose on Facebook refering to the aricle below his quote:

It was not easy to read this as someone who grew up in the Unification Church. Especially being a kid going to school in Irvington, NY where the Moons lived, and always afraid the locals might find out I was in "that cult," my only refuge besides home was seeing friends at their houses or church properties.

I just hope current members and their children can develop trust and find grace in people outside the UC, who may help provide or connect them to available resources as a means of survival, in this time of heavy withdrawal. I am speaking from experience with my family recognizing the UC's abuse over time, and eventually stepping away.

Those first few years were a lot of helpless outreach to the larger society we were conditioned to view as the "fallen world." We had to retrain our hardwired brains that it was safe out there—a reality those of us born into the UC may always live with as a work in progress. But it does get better over time

March 10: Ex-UC Branches Closed, Followers Left Adrift (Asahi Shimbun)

The church executive said of the procedure: "It was like a seizure notice, and the shock was immense. I've been coming to this church for decades. I felt as if all my memories were being negated." ...

"The church suddenly became unusable, and it feels like a part of my life has disappeared," said a female follower in her 40s from the Shimonoseki church. "Gathering and talking with fellow believers is part of our religion, and we are truly struggling." Another female follower in her 60s said tearfully, "As time goes by, the sadness of not being able to see everyone grows."

The church's dormitories, which primarily house followers in their teens and 20s who have moved to Tokyo, have also been targeted in the liquidation. With several dozen such dormitories nationwide, some residents are reportedly being forced to find new housing. ...

Guidelines from the Agency for Cultural Affairs issued last autumn anticipate a lengthy compensation process. The agency suggests allowing limited use of church facilities to soften the impact on religious activities. Ito said any such use would be conditional on the church adhering to strict rules that do not interfere with the procedures.

The National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales, which handles cases of large-scale donations to the church, insists that the church's "illegal activities need to be prevented." The group is concerned because the church has designated another religious corporation, Tenchi Seikyo in Obihiro, Hokkaido, to receive its remaining property upon dissolution. The lawyers' network warns that if the assets are transferred, there is a risk that "illegal donation solicitation activities" will continue.

[Peter Daley]

April 3: UC Followers Consider New Organization to Continue Practices (The Japan Times)

April 8: Ex-UC Members Plan New Entity for Donations (The Asahi Shimbun)

April 9: Dissolved But Not Gone: UC Reorganizes in Japan (Tokyo Weekender)

On Wednesday, former executives of Japan's dissolved Unification Church reportedly established a new organization under the name Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), led by former head Masaichi Hori....

In 2025, a district court in Tokyo ordered the church to disband after it was accused by the government of manipulating followers to make large donations. Last month, the Tokyo High Court upheld the decision, rejecting the organization's claim that the donations were part of legitimate religious activities. According to the presiding judge, Motoko Miki, the group caused financial losses in excess of ¥7.4 billion to 506 people.

"We are hearing our believers ask, 'I want to make donations, but what should I do?' We need a new organization to manage donations," a person affiliated with the church told The Asahi Shimbun. The comment suggests that continued demand from followers has driven the creation of a successor body despite legal setbacks. Journalist Eito Suzuki is concerned that "further harm could occur" as the organization collects donations. ...

April 22: Former UC Victims' Compensation Claims to be Accepted From May (NHK News)

April 23: At Least 40 Billion Yen Secured in UC Liquidation (The Japan Times)

May 21: UC Liquidator Begins Accepting Claims (The Japan Times)

Eligible claimants include followers and former followers of the group, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, their family members, such as children, and heirs of deceased followers.

The liquidator will verify whether the claimants made large donations or purchases of goods sold by the Unification Church by checking bank books, receipts, audio recordings and other submitted material. It has yet to be determined whether the liquidator will accept claims in cases where the statute of limitations has expired. The timing of payments is also undecided.

June 23: Japan Supreme Court upholds order to disband former UC (NHK News)

June 25: Top Court Decision Against UC in Japan Came as 'Unavoidable' Measure (The Mainichi)

While acknowledging the importance of freedom of religion, the court concluded that there were limits to how much weight this could be given considering the enormous harm caused by the group's fundraising and solicitation activities. ...

The high court found that the group's leaders, including its president, had implicitly tolerated illegal donation solicitations by followers and others. It determined that over roughly 40 years beginning in 1973, damages confirmed through civil court judgments and settlements amounted to approximately 7.4 billion yen (about $45.81 million at today's rate), affecting 506 victims. The court noted that harm continued even after the Unification Church issued a compliance declaration in 2009 to prevent the illegal solicitation of donations, causing many people to suffer asset losses and considerable mental suffering. It added that the organization failed to implement effective measures to prevent further harm.

June 30: The UC Dissolution Ruling in Japan Solves Nothing by Itself (Mainichi)

[Peter Daley]

Sept. 4: Movie About Shinzo Abe Assassination Reportedly in The Works (Sora News)