Unification Church

===In Japan (1970–2023)===

Since the 1970s most of the international Unification Church's financial support has come from Japan.<ref>{{cite news |date=September 13, 2022 |title=Unification Church had $210 mil. annual donation target in Japan: ex-top official |newspaper=The Mainichi |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220913/p2a/00m/0na/018000c |access-date=6 October 2023}}</ref> The church transferred at least $800 million from Japan to the United States from 1975 to 1984 (according to two former church officials who spoke with [[The Washington Post]] in 1984).<ref name="Burgess-Moon's-WaPo-1984">{{cite news |last1=Burgess |first1=John |last2=Isikoff |first2=Michael |date=16 September 1984 |title=Moon's Japanese Profits Bolster Efforts in U.S. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/unification/profit.htm |access-date=7 October 2023}}</ref><ref name="Worth-Moonies-Atlantic" />

Solicitations for money from Japanese recruits had been very aggressive, even "predatory". Unification members told Japanese recruits "that their ancestors are suffering in hell for their sins, and that the only way to save them" was by giving money to the church. They also would "probe" recruits for "family troubles and emotional vulnerabilities" and "ferret out" their "income and assets". A lawyers’ network in Japan that sought to recover donations by former members from followers and employees of the church brought approximately 35,000 compensation claims and has recovered more than $206 million since 1987.<ref name="Worth-Moonies-Atlantic" />

The Rev. Sun Myung Moon explained its fund raising focus on Japan by declaring South Korea to be an "Adam nation" (i.e. a patriarch) but Japan an "Eve nation" (obligated to fulfill the needs of the patriarch).<ref name="Worth-Moonies-Atlantic" />

====Revocation of religious corporation status by the Japanese government====
On 6 September 2023, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, [[Keiko Nagaoka]], announced the [[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology|ministry]]'s decision to file an administrative fine against the church with the [[Tokyo District Court]]. This action was taken due to the church's lack of cooperation in responding to the ministry's inquiries during their investigation, aimed at determining if there was sufficient evidence of wrongdoing to justify revoking the church's religious corporation status.<ref name="tbs 2023 0906 fine">{{Citation |date=2023-09-06 |url=https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/706030?display=1 |work=[[TBS News]] |trans-title= |script-title=ja: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 |access-date=2023-09-07 |language=ja}}</ref>

According to the ministry's statement, they had exercised their right to question the church on seven occasions since November 2022, regarding the church's operations and fundraising practices. However, the church declined to answer more than 100 questions, which accounted for 20% of the total questions submitted. Under the Religious Juridical Person Law, failure to cooperate with the ministry's right to question carries a maximum penalty of 100,000 yen per organization.<ref name="nhk 2023 0906 fine">{{Citation |title=Japan culture ministry to seek court order to fine ex-Unification Church |date=2023-09-06 |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230906_27/ |work=[[NHK]] |access-date=2023-09-07}}</ref>

During the government probe, the ministry were also holding closed-door hearings with victims of the Unification Church and experts such as the [[National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales]] (Zenkoku Benren) to build the case against the church. On 12 October 2023, the ministry officially announced its intention to file an application for a "Dissolution Order" under Article 81 of Religious Juridical Person Law against the Unification Church. The decision was driven by the presentation of substantial evidence indicating that the purposes of the Unification Church had deviated from a legitimate religion and its activities had significantly harmed public welfare.<ref name="strip-reuters-2023">{{cite news |author=Tim Kelly |date=12 October 2023 |title=Japan to ask court to strip Unification Church of religious status |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-ask-court-strip-unification-church-religious-status-2023-10-12/ |access-date=13 October 2023}}</ref><ref name="nhk 2023 1012 dissolution">{{Citation |date=2023-10-12 |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20231012/k10014222851000.html |work=[[NHK]] |trans-title= |script-title=ja:旧統一教会の解散命令 請求を正式決定 今後の手続きは |access-date=2023-10-12 |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Japan Seeks to Dissolve Unification Church Connected to Shinzo Abe's Assassination |date=2023-10-12 |url=https://time.com/6322931/japan-unification-church-disbandment-shinzo-abe/?linkId=241033380 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=2023-10-12}}</ref>

The newly appointed minister, [[Masahito Moriyama]], described the Unification Church's actions as having "systematically, maliciously, and persistently" manipulated public psychological distress to accumulate substantial funds. These funds, due to ensuing civil claims from affected parties, served as sufficient grounds to trigger the dissolution order.<ref>{{Citation |date=2023-10-12 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=343qgtvGnjA |work=[[TBS News]] |script-title=ja:【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 |access-date=2023-10-12 |language=ja |via=YouTube}}</ref> Prime Minister [[Fumio Kishida]] voiced agreement, asserting that the decision to propose a dissolution order was based on objective facts and rigorous judgment.<ref name="nhk 2023 1012 dissolution" />

Unlike previous cases, 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. Prior to this, only two religious organizations faced dissolution proceedings initiated by the government: [[Aum Shinrikyo]] in 1996, in relation to 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.<ref>{{Citation |date=2023-10-12 |url=https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/283257 |work=[[Tokyo Shimbun]] |script-title=ja: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 |access-date=2023-10-12 |language=ja}}</ref>

Should the court approve the dissolution order, the Unification Church will lose its tax benefits associated with registered religious organizations.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Rich |first1=Motoko |title=Japan Seeks to Dissolve Unification Church After Abe Killing |date=2023-10-12 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/12/world/asia/unification-church-japan-abe.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimesworld |work=[[New York Times]] |access-date=2023-10-12 |last2=Ueno |first2=Hisako |last3=Hida |first3=Hikari}}</ref> Despite this, the Unification Church can continue its operations and missionary activities within Japan under the constitutionally granted freedom of religion.<ref>{{Citation |date=2023-10-12 |url=https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20231012-OYT1T50206/ |work=[[Yomiuri Shimbun]] |script-title=ja: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 |access-date=2023-10-12 |language=ja}}</ref> However, the ''Japan Times'' editor believed that such an order would damage the Unification Church's reputation.<ref name="japantimes 2022 1207">{{Citation |last1=McKenna |first1=Shaun |title=Deep Dive Episode 139: The Church, the State and Kishida's headache |date=2022-12-07 |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/podcast/unification-church-kishida/ |work=[[The Japan Times]] |access-date=2023-10-12 |last2=Takahara |first2=Kanako}}</ref>

The church has indicated its intention to contest the charge and dissolution order through legal means, asserting that they will do so thoroughly.<ref name="tbs 2023 0906 fine" /><ref name="nhk 2023 0906 fine" /><ref>{{Citation |title=【"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 |date=2023-10-13 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzFTbu08kmo |work=[[Nippon TV]] News |access-date=2023-10-13 |language=ja |via=YouTube}}</ref> The church also contended that the ministry's exercise of the right to question against them was illegal.<ref>{{Citation |date=2023-09-08 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJqIdRyDuQ8 |work=[[MBS News]] |script-title=ja:「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 |access-date=2023-09-08 |language=ja |via=YouTube}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Citation|url=https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/politics-government/20240307-173028/|title=Panel OK's Putting Unification Church under Increased Scrutiny|work=[[Jiji Press]]|publisher=[[Yomiuri Shimbun]]|date=2024-03-07|access-date=2024-03-07}}</ref>

==== Spiritual sales ====
The National Network of Lawyers against spiritual sales, a network of 300 attorneys accuses the Unification Church of engaging in "[[Fortune telling fraud|Spiritual Sales]]" , alleging that it has made its adherents to invest large amounts of money to the point of bankruptcy. The Unification Church's president in Japan, Tomihiro Tanaka, stated trouble with illegal solicitation and large donation were a thing of the past and since 2009 has had no trouble due to stress on legal compliance.<ref name="press120722">{{cite web |date=12 July 2022 |script-title=ja:自己破産させられた信者はたくさんいる. 2世の苦しみがどんなにつらいか. 霊感商法弁護団が会見. |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a2901be12dab04ee1be8a795d41e65cecbeba5c8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712104746/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a2901be12dab04ee1be8a795d41e65cecbeba5c8 |archive-date=12 July 2022 |publisher=Yahoo news Japan |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Transcript: Unification Church news conference on Abe shooting |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Shinzo-Abe/Transcript-Unification-Church-news-conference-on-Abe-shooting |access-date=2023-08-10 |website=[[Nikkei Asia]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> The Network of Lawyers, which was set up in 1987 to impose countermeasures to what has been perceived as damages caused by the Unification church,<ref name="press120722" /> amounting to 123.7 billion yen, 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 alone.<ref>{{cite web |script-title=ja:窓口別被害者集計（1987年~） |url=https://www.stopreikan.com/madoguchi_higai.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711202650/https://www.stopreikan.com/madoguchi_higai.htm |archive-date=11 July 2022 |publisher=National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales |language=ja}}</ref>

One of the lawyers, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, accused the Unification Church of causing considerable pain to the families of those who donated, stating when Church members couldn't make ends meet through simply donating, the Church made believers borrow money from financial institutions using their real estate as collateral<ref name="press120722" /> Another lawyer, Yasuo Kawai, accused Japanese politicians and administrators of taking no action against the Unification Church, which he said disintegrates families, for more than 30 years.<ref>{{cite web |date=12 July 2022 |script-title=ja:「政治家として配慮いただきたい、ということを繰り返しお願いしてきた」安倍元総理の銃撃事件、旧統一教会の記者会見を受け、全国霊感商法対策弁護士連絡会が声明 |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5e568fc42691f63d0c56bbc4850bbd5413486986 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712135738/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5e568fc42691f63d0c56bbc4850bbd5413486986 |archive-date=12 July 2022 |publisher=Abema times/Yahoo news Japan |language=ja}}</ref> Kito Masaki called for Japan's [[National Diet]] (parliament) to conduct a bipartisan investigation of the case.<ref>[https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASQ7V5R9KQ7VUTIL02R.html 旧統一教会問題「行政も思考停止」　紀藤弁護士、国会での調査求める]</ref><ref>[https://news.nifty.com/article/item/neta/12136-1762739/ 警察はなぜ旧統一教会を放置し続けた？ 1995年の摘発を退けた「政治圧力]</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Shinzo Abe's ties to the Unification Church may have cost him |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/27/abe-japan-unification-church-ultranationalism/}}</ref><ref name="hida2018">[[:ja:樋田毅|Tsuyoshi Hida]]. (2018) ''記者襲撃 赤報隊事件30年目の真実''. pp.160–168 [[Iwanami Shoten]]. {{ISBN|978-4000612487}}</ref><ref name="wp16088984">{{cite news |date=16 September 1984 |title=Moon's Japanese Profits Bolster Efforts in U.S. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/unification/profit.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970506101102/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/cult/unification/profit.htm |archive-date=6 May 1997}}</ref> According to [[Busan Presbyterian University]] professor Tak Ji-il, "On the surface, they are fighting over religious principles but they are actually fighting over money."<ref>{{cite web |date=16 July 2022 |title=Church or cult? Inside the Moonies' 'world of delusion' |url=https://www.ft.com/content/2bf8dd43-78ca-4d2f-935e-70c9d34e1a5d |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220716191724/https://ft.com/content/2bf8dd43-78ca-4d2f-935e-70c9d34e1a5d |archive-date=16 July 2022 |newspaper=[[Financial Times]]}}</ref> According to the Japanese Communist Party newspaper ''Akahata'' and According to {{ill|Shoichi Fujita|ja|藤田庄市}} of the {{ill|Religious Information Research Center|ja|国際宗教研究所}} and the Zenkoku genriundo higaisha fubo no kai (literally, National Association of Parents of Victims of the Moonism, 全国原理運動被害者父母の会) – an organization formed by the parents of Unification Church members, for the Unification Church, Japan has a history of aggression against Korea, therefore has an obligation to serve Korea, and as atonement, internally known as "indemnity", collection of money by "Fortune telling fraud"（霊感商法） is imposed.<ref name="akahata">[https://www.jcp.or.jp/akahata/aik10/2010-05-11/2010051114_01_1.html Japanese Communist Party Newspaper Akahata 2010/05/11]</ref><ref>[https://thediplomat.com/2022/07/the-ldps-tangled-ties-to-the-unification-church/ The LDP’s Tangled Ties to the Unification Church – The Diplomat 2022.7.28]</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-08-03 |title=How Abe's killing exposes Japan's thin line between church and state |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/d0656caa-2d56-484a-b7ef-fd1b96dddfb9 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-08-10 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/d0656caa-2d56-484a-b7ef-fd1b96dddfb9 |archive-date=10 December 2022}}</ref> According to [[Yoshifu Arita]], it is taking advantage of Japanese young people's sense of guilt for [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japan's 40-year colonial rule of Korea]] (1905–1945) and defrauding them of money.<ref>{{cite web |date=25 August 2012 |script-title=ja:霊感商法に合同結婚式...「統一教会」が創始者危篤で分裂の危機 |url=https://dot.asahi.com/wa/2012092601698.html?page=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317170724/https://dot.asahi.com/wa/2012092601698.html?page=1 |archive-date=17 March 2020 |publisher=[[Asahi Shimbun]]/Aera dot. |language=ja}}</ref>  According to Hiroaki Soejima and Inoue in an interview with the ''Washington Post'', the religious icons, marble vases, miniature treasure pagodas and other religious icons that were represented as having supernatural power, were distributed by Happy World Inc., an importing firm based in Tokyo that they said was connected to the church. Hiroshi Sakazume, the Japanese Unification Church's director general of public relations at the time denied that the church had any relationship with Happy World, claiming in their view that "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 totally separate organization."<ref name="wp16088984" />  

According to the Chairman Tomihiro Tanaka, donations are made voluntarily by the individual, and are based on the individual's beliefs, while also acknowledging that people had donated large sums of money in the past. There were no teachings about how much you can contribute to how much you will be saved and there was no instructions that pushed families in bankruptcy to donate even more.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="wp130722">{{cite news |date=12 July 2022 |title=How Abe and Japan became vital to Moon's Unification Church |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/12/unification-church-japan-shinzo-abe/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713011112/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/12/unification-church-japan-shinzo-abe/ |archive-date=13 July 2022}}</ref> Tanaka stated in a press conference that in the past it had had problems with its followers due to illegal solicitations and large donations. He claimed that there has been no trouble between the Unification Church and its followers since 2009, when it began to emphasize legal compliance.<ref name="press120722" /> On 11 July 2022 the Unification Church issued a press release stating donation amounts are determined by individual members.<ref name="Kodansha" /><ref name="wp 0710 assassin mother" /><ref name="Yahoo News" /><ref name="news.yahoo.co.jp" /> One of Moon's sons, Kook Jin Moon, denied the church was pressuring its Japanese members to make large donations to save the spirits of their deceased loved ones, stating instead the members informed him it was their forebears that had instructed them to make large donations in an interview he conducted.<ref name="wp130722" /><ref name=":1">{{cite web |date=12 July 2022 |script-title=ja:銃撃男と統一教会 教団が会見「銃撃されたことは知っている」「合同結婚式」「霊感商法」社会問題化...被害救済の弁護士「今も深刻」 |url=https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/society/71bb44b03c0f4a18bb4bbdb1566e2af7 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712105711/https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/society/71bb44b03c0f4a18bb4bbdb1566e2af7 |archive-date=12 July 2022 |publisher=Yahoo news Japan/ Nippon television network |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=11 July 2022 |script-title=ja:統一教会とは 安倍晋三氏や祖父・岸信介氏との関係は? |url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20220711/k00/00m/040/234000c |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712011813/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20220711/k00/00m/040/234000c |archive-date=12 July 2022 |publisher=[[Mainichi shimbun]] |language=ja}}</ref> 

In civil cases, Japanese courts have issued a number of rulings ordering the Unification Church to pay compensation to the plaintiffs, saying its missionary work is illegal.<ref name="mainichi120722">{{cite web|url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20220712/k00/00m/040/273000c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712232219/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20220712/k00/00m/040/273000c|script-title=ja:旧統一教会被害者弁護士ら会見 「献金の強要ないという説明はうそ」|language=ja|publisher=[[Mainichi shimbun]]|date=12 July 2022|archive-date=12 July 2022}}</ref> Criminal cases related to the Unification Church have also occurred. In 2009, the [[Tokyo District Court]] sentenced Unification Church members to prison for forcing victims to buy expensive seals. The court ruled that the missionary work was a pernicious act of forcing its victims to buy a seal immediately after instigating their anxiety by linking their worries to their long-time ancestral pasts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://clnn.org/archives/hanrei/1488|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712120713/https://clnn.org/archives/hanrei/1488|script-title=ja:統一協会の霊感商法に懲役刑|language=ja|publisher=Consumer law news|archive-date=12 July 2022}}</ref>

To address any social problems caused by the Unification Church, the Japanese [[House of Representatives (Japan)|House of Representatives]] and [[House of Councillors]] passed two bills to restrict the activities of religious organizations such as the Unification Church and provide relief to victims.<ref name="nikkei101222">{{cite web |date=10 December 2022 |script-title=ja:旧統一教会の被害者救済新法成立 不当な寄付勧誘に罰則 |url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUA101KP0Q2A211C2000000/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210091835/https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUA101KP0Q2A211C2000000/ |archive-date=10 December 2022 |access-date=10 December 2022 |publisher=[[The Nikkei]] |language=ja}}</ref><ref name="mainichi101222">{{cite web |date=10 December 2022 |script-title=ja:旧統一教会被害者救済新法が成立 「霊感」使った寄付勧誘に刑事罰 |url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20221210/k00/00m/040/188000c |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210113234/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20221210/k00/00m/040/188000c |archive-date=10 December 2022 |access-date=10 December 2022 |publisher=[[Mainichi Shimbun]] |language=ja}}</ref><ref name="cdp240822">{{cite web|url=https://cdp-japan.jp/news/20220824_4317|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824121729/https://cdp-japan.jp/news/20220824_4317|script-title=ja:カルト被害防止・救済の法制化に向けて政府からヒアリング 旧統一教会被害対策本部、消費者部会合同会議|language=ja|publisher=[[Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan]]|date=24 August 2022|archive-date=24 August 2022|access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sankei.com/article/20221111-SYNQ4EHOHVKWLNFLUHZSYVLEOI/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112081450/https://www.sankei.com/article/20221111-SYNQ4EHOHVKWLNFLUHZSYVLEOI/|script-title=ja:どうなる救済新法、マインドコントロール下での勧誘焦点|language=ja|publisher=[[Sankei Shimbun]]|date=11 November 2022|archive-date=12 November 2022|access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20221208/k00/00m/040/393000c|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210014922/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20221208/k00/00m/040/393000c|script-title=ja:旧統一教会巡るカルト規制 "先進国"フランスの教訓は？|language=ja|date=9 December 2022|archive-date=10 December 2022|access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref><ref name="tokyo091222" />

The bills were supported by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and [[Komeito]], and opposition parties the [[Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan]] (CDP), [[Nippon Ishin no Kai]], and [[Democratic Party for the People]], and opposed by the opposition parties the [[Japanese Communist Party]] (JCP) and the [[Reiwa Shinsengumi]].<ref name="mainichi101222" />{{Request quotation|date=March 2023}} The CDP had opposed the bills, seeking legislation to more strictly restrict religious organizations, but switched to support it after a clause to review the law two years later was specified in the bill. According to the CDP and some Unification Church victims, legislation to restrict religious organizations even more strictly is needed. The JCP had proposed another bill to restrict religious organizations and therefore opposed the bills.<ref name="tokyo091222">{{cite web|url=https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/218851|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209062447/https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/218851|script-title=ja:旧統一教会の被害者救済法案成立へ 厳格な規制求めた立憲民主党はなぜ与党に急に「妥協」したのか|language=ja|publisher=[[Tokyo Shimbun]]|date=9 December 2022|archive-date=9 December 2022|access-date=11 December 2022}}</ref>{{Request quotation|date=March 2023}}

==== Rebranding ====
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, {{ill|Kihei Maekawa|ja|前川喜平}}, 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 submitted an application 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.<ref name="annn 20220728 rename">{{citation
|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2CBATeYvRA
|title=旧統一教会トップと国会議員らがアメリカで面会…目的は？開示された名称変更の理由示した文書は黒塗り…政治家の関与は不明のまま
|work=[[Tokyo Broadcasting System]]
|via=YouTube
|date=2022-07-28
|access-date=2022-08-10
|language=ja
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Name change by Unification Church a baffling issue years later |url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14686350 |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=[[The Asahi Shimbun]] |language=en}}</ref>

==== Assassination of Shinzo Abe ====
On 8 July 2022 Japan's longest-serving prime minister, [[Shinzo Abe]], was [[Assassination of Shinzo Abe|assassinated]] by former [[Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force|Maritime Self-Defense Force]] seaman [[Tetsuya Yamagami]], whose mother is a member of the Japanese Unification Church. Yamagami blamed the church for ruining his family by making his mother donate most of the family wealth to the church, and saw Abe as "deeply connected" to the church. The assassination prompted sympathy for Abe, but also increased scrutiny of the Unification Church and the LDP, and eventually led to a backlash against them. After the assassination it was found that almost half of the 379 [[National Diet]] (parliament) members of Abe's [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|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 Moonies he talked to "described a litany of insults and abuses" they had been subject to in the year since the assassination.<ref name="Worth-Moonies-Atlantic" /><ref name=":4">{{cite web |date=9 July 2022 |script-title=ja: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 |trans-title=Father died suddenly, mother went to a religious group A large amount of money Mr. Abe's background of the shooting suspect |url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASQ796KGPQ79PTIL02M.html?iref=ogimage_rek |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220709213311/https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASQ796KGPQ79PTIL02M.html?iref=ogimage_rek |archive-date=9 July 2022 |access-date=9 July 2022 |website=[[The Asahi Shimbun]] |language=ja}}</ref> <ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Tim |last2=Park |first2=Ju-min |date=2022-08-16 |title=Explainer: Why the Unification Church has become a headache for Japan's Kishida |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/why-unification-church-has-become-headache-japans-kishida-2022-08-09/ |access-date=2023-05-02 |work=Reuters |language=en}}</ref>

The Unification Church is said to have historically had a close relationship with the conservative [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party]], founded by [[Nobusuke Kishi]] and later led by his grandson, [[Shinzo Abe]], then prime minister of Japan.<ref name="Kodansha">{{cite news |title=【独自】安倍元首相を撃った山上徹也が供述した、宗教団体「統一教会」の名前（現代ビジネス編集部|url=https://gendai.ismedia.jp/articles/-/97322 |access-date=9 July 2022 |work=Gendai Bijinesu |date=9 July 2022 |publisher=[[Kodansha]]|language=ja}}</ref><ref name="wp 0710 assassin mother">{{Citation|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/07/09/shinzo-abe-assassination-election-blinken/?location=alert|title=Assassin may have killed Abe as revenge against religious group that bankrupted his mother|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|date=9 July 2022|access-date=11 July 2022|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Yahoo News">{{cite news|title=【独自】安倍元総理射殺事件 「山上容疑者」父の自殺の背景にあった"もうひとつの団体"の名|url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5ae858f511ba293fb8741595689804cc83c34d3a|access-date=14 July 2022|publisher=Yahoo News|language=ja|archive-date=14 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714062144/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5ae858f511ba293fb8741595689804cc83c34d3a|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="news.yahoo.co.jp">{{cite news|title=【《安倍元首相銃殺》「母親が宗教に傾倒し、大病を患う兄が自殺」山上徹也容疑者が自殺未遂に至った"不遇な家庭環境"と事件直前の"悪質レビュートラブル"|url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/83223f705c133b48a0e662b0ebc37dc85154ce52|access-date=14 July 2022|publisher=Yahoo News|language=ja|archive-date=13 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713033453/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/83223f705c133b48a0e662b0ebc37dc85154ce52|url-status=dead}}</ref>  In 2019, the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales released a document protesting congratulatory messages sent by Abe to events organized by the Unification Church and its affiliates because they feared such messages enhanced the church's authority and encouraged what they considered its "[[Anti-social behaviour|anti-social activities]]".<ref name="mainichi120722" /><ref>{{cite web |date=11 September 2019 |script-title=ja:衆議院議員 安倍晋三 先生へ |url=https://www.stopreikan.com/kogi_moshiire/shiryo_20210917.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220710080249/https://www.stopreikan.com/kogi_moshiire/shiryo_20210917.htm |archive-date=10 July 2022 |publisher=National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales |language=ja}}</ref>

She joined the Unification Church in 1998, and sold the land she inherited from her father along with the house where she lived 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,<ref name=":6" /> leading to her family's bankruptcy in 2002 and significantly affecting their family, according to Yamagami.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20220713-OYT1T50136/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713085752/https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20220713-OYT1T50136/|script-title=ja: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|language=ja|publisher=[[Yomiuri shimbun]]|date=13 July 2022|archive-date=13 July 2022|access-date=13 July 2022}}</ref>{{Request quotation|date=March 2023}} Financially troubled, Yamagami was unable to enter university despite graduating from a prestigious high school. His brother and his father would later commit suicide. Yamagami stated that his original plan was to assassinate [[Hak Ja Han]], the widow of [[Sun Myung Moon]] and the current leader of the Unification Church. However, he gave up his plan because he could not get close to her.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000261372.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712153122/https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000261372.html|script-title=ja: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|language=ja|publisher=TV asahi|date=12 July 2022|archive-date=12 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Suspected Abe assassin cited religious group grudge as reason |url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14665352 |access-date= 2022-07-09 |website=[[The Asahi Shimbun]] |archive-date=9 July 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220709095218/https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14665352 |url-status=live }}</ref> 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 UC-related organizations.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000261223.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711164704/https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_society/articles/000261223.html|script-title=ja: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」|language=ja|publisher=TV asahi|date=11 July 2022|archive-date=11 July 2022}}</ref>{{Request quotation|date=March 2023}}

[[Chung Hwan Kwak]], the Honorary President of the [[Global Peace Foundation]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3185908/unification-churchs-founder-was-close-shinzo-abes-grandfather | title=Unification Church's founder 'was close' to Shinzo Abe's grandfather | date=20 July 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.globalpeace.org/people/dr-chung-hwan-kwak | title=Dr. Chung Hwan Kwak &#124; Global Peace Foundation }}</ref> who had long held a position second to Sun Myung Moon in the Unification Church and left it in 2009 after internal strife, apologized on behalf of the Unification Church. He said that the church was responsible for the assassination of Abe.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Unification Church founder was close to former PM Abe's grandfather: ex-chairman |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220719/p2g/00m/0na/047000c}}</ref> According to Kwak, a wave of bankruptcies, divorces and suicides among Japanese believers had prompted him to attempt to normalize Japan's status as an "economic force" in 2001, but his attempt was thwarted by strong opposition from other church leaders. The Unification Church later denied Kwak's claim, saying that it was Kwak who called for the transfer of Japanese money to the church headquarters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/religious/1051627.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720031634/https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/religious/1051627.html|script-title=ko:"아베 사망, 통일교 무리한 헌금 탓" 전 통일교 2인자 곽정환 주장|language=ko|publisher=[[The Hankyoreh]]|date=20 July 2022|archive-date=2022-07-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/1db8e69cd3b657a0a611f65452bcb3ecc836477d|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720032750/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/1db8e69cd3b657a0a611f65452bcb3ecc836477d|script-title=ja:旧統一教会"元No.2"が謝罪「安倍元総理の死に責任」...献金も痛烈批判「教団は堕落」|language=ja|publisher=[[TV Asahi]]|date=20 July 2022|archive-date=20 July 2022}}</ref> {{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}

The [[National Public Safety Commission (Japan)|National Public Safety Commission]] chair [[Satoshi Ninoyu]] instructed police authorities to set up a panel to investigate the security lapses which may have been involved in Abe's death.<ref>{{cite web |title=Govt. to set up panel to investigate security lapses in Abe shooting {{!}} NHK WORLD-JAPAN News |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220712_15/ |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=NHK WORLD |language=en}}</ref> The Commission chair was among several elected officials who promoted a Unification Church event in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=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） |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/b3f95dd0e9eafbe01f742863a7c23d18cb0f1fe9 |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=Yahoo!ニュース |language=ja}}</ref>{{Request quotation|date=March 2023}} Japan's main opposition party, the [[Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan]], and two other opposition parties, the [[Democratic Party for the People]] and the [[Japanese Communist Party]], have said that they plan to launch their own investigations into the Unification Church's political influence and connections in Japanese politics.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/07/25/national/japan-politics-unification-church-links/ |title=Unification Church ties to Japan's lawmakers emerge as major political issue |publisher=[[The Japan Times]] |access-date=2022-07-30}}</ref> On August 31, 2022, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), of which Abe was a member, announced that it would no longer have any relationships with the Unification Church and its related organizations. The Liberal Democratic Party has announced that it would expel its members if they did not break any ongoing relationships with the Unification Church.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/bfb8dca4cd50160f6c93177b57e9808aa850d110|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831073533/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/bfb8dca4cd50160f6c93177b57e9808aa850d110|script-title=ja: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|language=ja|publisher=Yahoo news Japan|date=31 August 2022|archive-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> [[Fumio Kishida]], Japan's prime minister and president of the LDP, stated in October 2022 that the Japanese government would start an investigation into the extent of Abe's relationship with the Unification Church.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-17 |title=Unification Church: Japan to investigate religious group after Abe killing |language=en-GB |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63282588 |access-date=2023-01-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Tim |last2=Kaneko |first2=Kaori |date=2022-11-22 |title=Japan probes Unification Church after backlash over ruling party ties |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-govt-begin-investigation-unification-church-2022-11-22/ |access-date=2023-01-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-22 |title=Japan begins inquiry into Unification church in wake of Shinzo Abe killing |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/22/japan-begins-inquiry-into-unification-church-in-wake-of-shinzo-abe-killing |access-date=2023-01-01 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>

==== Civil lawsuits against Japanese critics and government ====
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 on 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)|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.<ref name="SDP 2023 0728">{{Citation
|url=https://sdp.or.jp/sdp-paper/slapp-2/
|script-title=ja:統一教会がスラップ連発～問われる日本の民主主義 
|trans-title=
|work=[[Social Democratic Party (Japan)|Social Democratic Party]]
|date=2023-07-28
|access-date=2023-10-21
|language=ja
}}</ref><ref>{{Citation
|url=https://www.mbs.jp/news/feature/specialist/article/2023/10/097119.shtml
|script-title=ja:【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 
|trans-title=
|work=[[MBS News]]
|date=2023-10-12
|access-date=2023-10-21
|language=ja
}}</ref><ref name="nikkan gendai 2023 1005 upf suzuki" />

{| class="wikitable"
|+List of lawsuits
!Case!!<abbr title="year-month-day">Filing date</abbr>!!Complaint!!Demands!!Verdict
|-
|''Unification Church v. Yomiuri TV & Masaki Kito''<ref name="nikkansports 2023 0213 kito">{{Citation
|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/general/nikkan/news/202302130001261.html
|script-title=ja: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
|trans-title=
|work=[[Nikkan Sports]]
|date=2023-02-13
|access-date=2023-10-22
|language=ja
}}</ref><ref name="nikkansports 2022 0929">{{Citation
|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/general/nikkan/news/202209290000578.html
|script-title=ja: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
|trans-title=
|work=[[Nikkan Sports]]
|date=2022-09-29
|access-date=2023-10-22
|language=ja
}}</ref>
| rowspan="3" |2022-09-29
|[[Masaki Kito|Kito]]'s statement about "female believers being forced into prostitution after the founder's death" aired by [[Yomiuri TV]] on 20 July 2022.
| rowspan="4" |22 million yen and public apology
|
|-
|''Unification Church v. Yomiuri TV & Kentarō Motomura''<ref name="nikkansports 2022 0929" />
|{{ill|Kentarō Motomura{{!}}Motomura|ja|本村健太郎}}'s statement which accused the church of "illegal proselyting practices" aired by Yomiuri TV on 2 September 2022.
|Dismissed on 25 January 2024<ref>{{Citation
|url=https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/962091?display=1
|script-title=ja: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
|trans-title=
|work=[[TBS News]]
|date=2024-01-25
|access-date=2024-01-26
|language=ja
}}</ref>
|-
|''Unification Church v. TBS TV & Hideki Yashiro''<ref name="nikkansports 2022 0929" />
|{{ill|Hideki Yashiro{{!}}Yashiro|ja|八代英輝}}'s statement which accused the church of "causing numerous consumer disputes" aired by [[TBS TV]] on 1 September 2022.
|Dismissed on 30 June 2023<ref>{{Citation
|url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASR6Y6QW8R6VUTIL014.html
|script-title=ja: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
|trans-title=
|work=[[Asahi Shimbun]]
|date=2023-06-30
|access-date=2023-10-21
|language=ja
}}</ref>
|-
|''Unification Church v. Nippon TV & Yoshifu Arita''<ref name="nikkansports 2023 0516 arita">{{Citation
|url=https://www.nikkansports.com/general/nikkan/news/202305160000975.html
|script-title=ja: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
|trans-title=
|work=[[Nikkan Sports]]
|date=2023-05-16
|access-date=2023-10-22
|language=ja
}}</ref><ref name="mainichi 2022 1027">{{Citation
|url=https://mainichi.jp/articles/20221026/k00/00m/040/355000c
|script-title=ja: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」
|trans-title=
|work=[[Mainichi Shimbun]]
|date=2022-10-27
|access-date=2023-10-22
|language=ja
}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" |2022-10-27
|[[Yoshifu Arita|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''<ref name="mainichi 2022 1027" />
|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''<ref name="ogawa 2023 0914">{{citation|url=https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/-/1223050|script-title=ja: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」|trans-title=Church's demand against former believer dismissed by court|work=[[Kyodo News]]|publisher=[[Okinawa Times]]|date=2023-09-14|access-date=2023-10-22|language=ja}}</ref>
|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 (Japan)|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.)<ref name="iwj 2023 0930">{{Citation
|url=https://iwj.co.jp/wj/open/archives/518753
|script-title=ja: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 
|trans-title=
|work=Independent Web Journal
|date=2023-09-30
|access-date=2023-10-22
|language=ja
|quote=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
}}</ref>
|Delete the published video
|Dismissed by the high court in August 2023<ref name="ogawa 2023 0914" />
|-
|''Makoto Yasuda v. Toyama City''<ref name="nhk 2023 0313 toyama">{{Citation
|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/toyama/20230313/3060012832.html
|script-title=ja:富山市議会の旧統一教会と断絶決議 取消訴訟
|trans-title=
|work=[[NHK]]
|date=2023-03-13
|access-date=2023-10-21
|language=ja
}}</ref>
|2022-12-16
| rowspan="2" |[[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''<ref name="sankei 2023 0801">{{Citation
|url=https://www.sankei.com/article/20230801-ZPG4HWEEAJJOZDEEU473K6QBAE/
|script-title=ja:「断絶決議は名誉毀損」 旧統一教会が富山市を提訴
|trans-title=
|work=[[Sankei Shimbun]]
|date=2023-08-01
|access-date=2023-10-21
|language=ja
}}</ref>
|2023-08-01
|22 million yen
|
|-
|<abbr title="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'">''Women's Federation For World Peace v. Zenkoku Benren Seven''</abbr><ref name="asahi 2023 0704 wfwp">{{Citation
|url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASR745171R73UTIL01G.html
|script-title=ja:旧統一教会の友好団体、霊感商法対策の弁護士らを提訴
|trans-title=
|work=[[Asahi Shimbun]]
|date=2023-07-04
|access-date=2023-10-21
|language=ja
}}</ref>
|2023-07-03
|Seven lawyers with [[Zenkoku Benren]], namely Masaki Kito, Keiichi Hiraiwa, {{ill|Masaki Gorō (lawyer){{!}}Masaki Gorō|ja|郷路征記}}, Shūji Nakamura, {{ill|Hidemasa Kawada|ja|河田英正}}, {{ill|Hiroshi Yamaguchi|ja|山口広}}, 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''<ref name="sankei 2023 1004 goto suzuki">{{Citation
|url=https://www.sankei.com/article/20231004-TA6Z2NOHMBJKXBXCWB4ZHXRM3A/
|script-title=ja:信者がジャーナリスト提訴 旧統一教会、「名誉毀損」
|trans-title=
|work=[[Sankei Shimbun]]
|date=2023-10-04
|access-date=2023-10-22
|language=ja
}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" |2023-10-04
|[[Eito Suzuki|Suzuki]]'s statement about "Toru Gotō being a [[hikikomori]]" published on social media. (Gotō was unsuccessfully [[deprogramming|deprogrammed]] from the Unification Church by his family.)
|11 million yen and delete the online post
|
|-
|''Universal Peace Federation v. Eito Suzuki''<ref name="nikkan gendai 2023 1005 upf suzuki">{{Citation
|url=https://www.nikkan-gendai.com/articles/view/life/330135
|script-title=ja: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
|trans-title=
|work=[[Nikkan Gendai]]
|date=2023-10-05
|access-date=2023-10-22
|language=ja
}}</ref>
|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.)<ref>{{Citation|url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20231026/p2a/00m/0na/003000c|title=Unification Church-linked group paid Trump $2.5 mil. for video messages: Mainichi exclusive|work=[[Mainichi Shimbun]]|date=2023-10-26|access-date=2023-10-27}}</ref>
|11 million yen
|
|}

==== Child adoption ====
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 whether family courts' screening was sufficient.<ref name="mainichi editorial 2023 0201">{{citation
|url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230201/p2a/00m/0op/017000c
|title=Editorial: Japan gov't needs to uncover Unification Church's murky adoption practice
|work=[[Mainichi Shimbun]]
|date=2023-02-01
|access-date=2023-02-08
}}</ref> The church denies the allegation that they act as an agent in the arrangement, but says that the child adoptions happen between families privately.<ref>{{Citation
|url=https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUF068QO0W2A201C2000000/
|title=旧統一教会の養子縁組、2018年度以降31件 調査に回答
|trans-title=The Unification Church answered that there have been 31 cases of child adoption arrangements since 2018
|work=[[The Nikkei]]
|date=2022-12-06
|accessdate=2022-12-27
|language=ja
}}</ref><ref>{{Citation
|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/11/18/national/unification-church-adoption-probe/
|title=Japan to probe Unification Church's adoption system
|work=[[The Japan Times]]
|date=2022-11-18
|accessdate=2022-12-28
}}</ref> 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 about 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.<ref name="mainichi editorial 2023 0201" />

The ministry requested that the church revise their 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.<ref>{{Citation
|url=https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan-warns-unification-church-over-murky-child-adoption-practice
|title=Gov't warns Unification Church over murky child adoption practice
|work=[[Kyodo News]]
|publisher=[[The Japan Times]]
|date=2023-01-24
|access-date=2023-01-25
}}</ref><ref>{{Citation
|url=https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/articles/-/208201?display=1
|script-title=ja:「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」
|work=[[Tokyo Broadcasting System]]
|date=2022-11-19
|access-date=2023-01-25
|language=ja
}}</ref>{{Request quotation|date=March 2023}} On February 1, 2023, the Unification Church of Japan revised their believers' handbook to remove references to child adoption.<ref>{{Citation
|url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/af7d5f4f07e267a8adb74a1071d0444618031035
|script-title=ja:"統一教会"ハンドブック改訂 養子縁組推奨を"削除"
|work=[[Nippon TV]]
|date=2023-02-01
|access-date=2023-02-10
|language=ja
}}</ref>

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare submitted several questionnaires about the child adoption practice to the Unification Church between November and December 2022,<ref>{{Citation
|url=https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2023012300315&g=soc
|script-title=ja:旧統一教会に行政指導 厚労省、養子縁組巡り―捜査当局に情報提供も
|work=[[Jiji Press]]
|date=2023-01-23
|access-date=2023-01-25
|language=ja
}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Citation
|url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/883e573c7ad588f2aff079ba2868e0e5f2c59b95
|title=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
|trans-title=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
|work=[[Nippon TV]]
|date=2022-12-20
|accessdate=2022-12-27
|language=ja
|via=Yahoo News
}}</ref>