Based on the Religious Corporation Law, it was found that all records such as evidence when the court requested the dissolution order of "Aum Shinrikyo" and "Myokakuji" were destroyed.



These are the only two cases in the past in which the court ordered the dissolution of a religious corporation for ``violating the law and seriously harming public welfare'' in response to a request from an administrative agency. Especially so.

The order of dissolution of a religious corporation is to be decided by the court after receiving a request from an administrative agency.



In the past, based on a request from an administrative agency, Aum Shinrikyo, which caused the sarin gas attack on the subway, received a dissolution order on the grounds of ``violating the law and committing acts that significantly harmed public welfare.'' There are only two cases, one at Myokakuji Temple, which has its headquarters in Wakayama Prefecture and was convicted of fraud by the leaders of the cult.

Regarding these two cases, records such as evidence and documents related to the claims submitted by both parties in the court proceedings were stored at the Tokyo District Court and the Wakayama District Court, respectively, but it has been found that they have been destroyed so far. rice field.



According to the Supreme Court's regulations, the retention period for records of civil proceedings, including requests for dissolution orders, is five years, but cases that have attracted public attention are designated as "special preservation" and preserved permanently. It is supposed to be



According to each court, none of them were designated as "special preservation", and the records of Aum Shinrikyo were destroyed on March 8, 2006, 10 years after the confirmation, and the record of Myokakuji is also unknown. But it has already been discarded.



Regarding the dissolution order of the religious corporation, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology has exercised the "right to question" the former Unification Church based on the Religious Corporation Law, and if it grasps the facts that may correspond to the dissolution order, it will file a request to the court. I am considering.



It seems to be questioned whether the judgment was appropriate about the fact that all the records of the procedure, which had almost no precedent in the past, were destroyed.



It has become clear one after another that the records of juvenile cases were also destroyed in various places in the courts.

Ms. Shoko Egawa, who is familiar with the preservation of court records, "The impact will be immeasurable."

Journalist Shoko Egawa, who is familiar with the preservation of court records, commented on the fact that records related to requests for dissolution orders, which are rare, were destroyed, saying, ``What kinds of evidence and documents were issued in past cases that led to the decision to order dissolution? It is no longer possible to investigate and verify whether or not there is any doubt, and the impact will be immeasurable.The exercise of the right to ask questions has begun in relation to the former Unification Church, but with no past accumulation, the investigation is proceeding with a blank slate. I think there is no choice but to do so," he said.



On top of that, he pointed out, ``The court does not have the sense that 'historical materials must be kept.' doing.