Victims, Others Happy about Unification Church Dissolution Order

Tokyo, March 4 (Jiji Press)–A Japanese court’s order on Wednesday for the dissolution of the Unification Church satisfied victims of the controversial group and their supporters, while people related to the religious organization expressed anger and frustration. A man in his 60s who has spent more than two decades working for a nationwide association supporting victims of the group, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, welcomed the ruling. “I had been sure that an order for its dissolution would be handed down,” he said. Still, he added: “This decision is only a starting point. The emotional scars will remain for a long time.” “At the very least, I want the financial issues to be resolved quickly,” he said. His wife, in her 70s and a former unification Church believer who donated around 1 million yen to the group, said she felt “relieved” as the order was maintained. On Wednesday, Tokyo High Court upheld a lower court ruling ordering the dissolution of the Unification Church, stripping the group of its status as a religious corporation. Regarding the upcoming liquidation procedures, the woman said, “I want the organization to clarify the money it raised from large donations from followers and goods sales so that the funds will be used to rescue victims.” A woman in her 30s whose parents donated tens of millions of yen to the organization also expressed relief. “The judiciary has recognized that the group deserves to be dissolved,” she said. The Unification Church “should acknowledge the religious abuse inflicted on children of followers and apologize to them,” she added. Meanwhile, a group of active members of the Unification Church held a press conference in Tokyo the same day. “It’s really sad and regrettable,” Kiaki Kojima, 30, head of the follower group, said of the ruling. “I’m filled with anxiety about what will happen to many believers.” “Even if the organization is dissolved, our faith won’t disappear,” Kojima added. “We’ll consider what our activities should be going forward.” “It’s incredible,” Nobuya Fukumoto, a lawyer for the Unification Church, told reporters, showing his resentment at the high court ruling. “This is not something that should happen in a law-governed country,” he said. The Unification Church side will challenge the ruling, the lawyer said, while noting that he will cooperate in its liquidation procedures. Immediately after the high court ruling, the Unification Church released a statement saying that the decision will undermine Japan’s credibility on the international arena and leave a stain on its history. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]