Japan’s government has called on a Tokyo court to nullify the Unification Church’s legal status after the 2022 killing of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cast a spotlight on the organization’s fundraising practices. The shooting suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, claimed that the church, founded by the late Sun Myung Moon, had ruined his family financially and that Abe was linked to the organization. A government investigation found that the South Korean church illegally took tens of millions of dollars in life savings from its followers, often called Moonies, while acting as a religious institution. The church has argued the government’s nullification request is unconstitutional since it violates religious freedoms. “It is clear that this is the result of currying favor with public opinion,” the church stated. According to The Wall Street Journal, if the government wins, the church will no longer be considered a religious corporation and will give up corporate, income, and property tax exemptions. The church complained that its assets would be dissolved, including its places of worship.
