“CAUSED SUCH DAMAGE”
Tuesday’s court order, once enacted, will remove the church’s tax-exempt status while branding the organisation a harmful entity, experts say.
However, the church will still be able to continue religious practices, lawyer Katsuomi Abe said before Tuesday’s ruling.
“Its reputation will decline, and the number of followers will decrease,” said Abe, who represents former believers seeking compensation after making huge donations.
“I don’t think any other organisation has caused such damage” to Japanese society, he told AFP.
The amount donated by Japanese members over the decades has been estimated by some at hundreds of millions of US dollars or more.
Since 2023, nearly 200 people have demanded compensation of ¥5.7 billion in total.
The Unification Church – officially the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification – was founded in 1954.
It rose to global prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, becoming famous for mass weddings often held in stadiums.
Japan has long been a financial hub, with the church telling members they must atone for the wartime occupation of Korea and selling expensive items to obtain forgiveness for sins.
Yamagami, now in pre-trial detention, could face the death penalty if convicted of Abe’s killing.
Their uncle has described receiving calls for help from Yamagami when his mother left her children alone and without food to attend church.
Since Abe’s murder, the church has pledged to prevent “excessive” member donations.
