In the case of the former Unification Church, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has formally decided to request a dissolution order against the denomination and announced that it will file a request to the Tokyo District Court on the 13th. This is the third case in which an administrative agency has filed a claim on the basis of a violation of laws and regulations, following Aum Shinrikyo and others, and the first time that a civil law tort has been grounded.
On the issue of the former Unification Church, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) held a council meeting of religious corporations on the 12th and unanimously decided to request a dissolution order for the church, saying that it was "appropriate" to request an order to dissolve the church.
After the council meeting, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Moriyama held an extraordinary press conference and stated the reason for this, saying, "From around Showa 55 at the latest, the cult continuously caused many believers to purchase donations and goods in a state that interfered with normal judgment, causing a great deal of damage and damaging the peace of life."
And "the donations and solicitation acts were carried out as the business or activities of the former Unification Church," and "the acts of the cult fall under the illegal act under the Civil Code, and the damage is enormous."
acts that grossly deviate from the purpose of a religious organization."
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) will submit documents requesting a dissolution order to the Tokyo District Court on the 13th, along with approximately 5000,20 items and 3 boxes of evidence collected through the exercise of the right to question, etc., and will request an order to dissolve the cult.
This is the third case in which an administrative agency has made a claim on the basis of a violation of laws and regulations, following Aum Shinrikyo and others, and the first time that a civil law tort is the basis.
After the request, the court will decide whether to issue a dissolution order after hearing opinions from both the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the cult.
If the dissolution order is finalized, religious acts are not prohibited, but the denomination loses its religious legal personality and is no longer eligible for tax benefits.
The former Unification Church issued an opinion on the 12th, strongly criticizing the government, saying, "It is with the utmost regret that the government made such a serious decision based on biased information, and we are convinced that we are not a religious group that will be ordered to dissolve," and indicated that it would make a legal claim in court.