Unification Church Liquidator Begins Accepting Victim Claims

Tokyo, May 20 (Jiji Press)–The liquidator of the Unification Church, a controversial religious group ordered to disband, on Wednesday began accepting claims from victims who were forced to make large donations to the group. Loss claims will be accepted online or by post for a year until May 20, 2027. Eligible claimants include followers and former followers of the group, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, their family members, such as children, and heirs of deceased followers. The liquidator will verify whether the claimants made large donations to the Unification Church or purchased goods from the group by checking bank books, receipts, audio recordings and other submitted materials. It has yet to be determined whether the liquidator will accept claims in cases where the statute of limitations has expired. The timing of compensation payments is also undecided. “I want to swiftly grasp the state of the group’s assets and liabilities,” lawyer Hisashi Ito, the liquidator, said, urging victims to promptly file claims. Those who fail to submit claims during the one-year window may become ineligible for relief. “This may be the last chance for victims to get compensation,” Susumu Murakoshi, head of a team of lawyers for victims of the Unification Church, told a press conference Wednesday, urging people to file claims. He praised the inclusion of followers’ children as eligible claimants as “a step forward.” According to Ito’s report dated April 20, at least 40 billion yen in deposits and savings has been secured across the Unification Church’s facilities nationwide. About 200 real estate assets owned by the group are expected to be sold off in stages. The secured assets are set to be used to pay claimants. In March, Tokyo High Court upheld a Tokyo District Court ruling ordering the dissolution of the Unification Church on the grounds that the group conducted acts violating the Civil Code. Although the decision was appealed to the Supreme Court, the order took effect following the high court ruling, resulting in the appointment of the liquidator. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]