The Tokyo District Court has ordered the dissolution of the Unification Church, revoking its tax-exempt status and mandating asset liquidation. This ruling follows government investigations that uncovered systematic manipulation of followers, leading to excessive donations exceeding $132 million.
This landmark decision represents the first instance of a religious group being dissolved under civil law in Japan and is a response to the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The church is now facing compensation claims totaling $38 million from nearly 200 victims of its manipulative practices.