30% of Japan religious corps say Unification Church dissolution order hits freedom of faith

The Mainichi

16-05-2025

TOKYO -- Some 30% of major religious corporations responding to a Mainichi Shimbun survey believe that a court order for the Unification Church to dissolve will affect freedom of religion guaranteed under the Japanese Constitution, while nearly 80% of responding groups appreciate the order.
The survey results brought into sharp relief the fact that major religious corporations understand the propriety of the dissolution order but harbor a certain degree of concern over political intervention in religion.
The survey was conducted in April targeting 62 religious corporations and federations with a claimed followership of 100,000 or more in Japan according to the 2024 edition of the almanac of religion released by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The Mainichi sent out the questionnaire asking for their views on the dissolution order against the Unification Church in multiple-choice answer and free description styles, and received responses from 19 religious corporations. The Japanese Association of Religious Organizations and the Nichiren Shoshu provided their own views as corporations without answering the set questions.
Regarding the dissolution order issued by the Tokyo District Court against the Unification Church, formally the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, 15 groups responded that they either "appreciate" or "somewhat appreciate" the court order. Many of those respondents cited the high amount of financial damage incurred by Unification Church followers as the group solicited massive donations, as well as the large number of such victims, as their reasons for selecting those answers.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan responded, "While the freedom for people to believe in religion should be respected, illegal and malicious acts in the name of religion must not be tolerated." Tenrikyo stated, "For an organization to have the status of a religious corporation, it is required to be worthy of such a title."
Meanwhile, two groups respectively opted for answers stating they "do not appreciate" and "rather do not appreciate" the court's disbandment order, while another two corporations didn't respond.
Oyamanezunomikoto Shinji Kyokai, a religious group established after World War II, chose the answer "rather do not appreciate" the court order, calling it "a strong measure that significantly interferes with activities that religion has made its mission in history, such as missionary work and spiritual relief." It said, "The illegal acts (under the Civil Code) alone cannot suffice as the basis for the dissolution order."
Once the disbandment order is finalized, the Unification Church will need to liquidate its property and become ineligible for tax breaks, while being allowed to continue activities as a voluntary organization.
When asked what effects the dissolution order, with its strong efficacy, will have on freedom of religion, six corporations answered that either there will be effects or a certain degree of effects. Happy Science noted, "It could allow the government to arbitrarily suppress religious groups. We should be careful about depriving people of freedom of religion by strengthening state authority and intervening in religion."
Meanwhile, 10 groups said either there will be no effect or little to no effect on freedom of religion, while another three gave no answer.
Bussho Gonenkai Kyodan pointed out, "We infer that freedom of religion is guaranteed unless there are acts including those clearly recognized to significantly harm public welfare." Myoshinji Temple, of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism, stated, "While freedom of religion is the right of the people, it does not mean they can do anything while acting against public welfare. It cannot necessarily be said that the dissolution order infringes on freedom of religion."
In October 2023 the education and culture minister requested a disbandment order against the Unification Church from the Tokyo District Court. The court ordered the church to dissolve based on the Religious Corporations Act on March 25, 2025. The church on April 7 filed an immediate appeal against the ruling with the Tokyo High Court.