Unification Church faces liquidation after Japanese court backs dissolution order

A Japanese high court on Wednesday upheld a dissolution order for the Unification Church as requested by the central government on the grounds that it unlawfully solicited financially ruinous donations from its members.While the group can still appeal to the Supreme Court, the order by the Tokyo High Court will take immediate effect, with the controversial organisation losing its status as a religious corporation with its associated tax advantages and liquidation procedures to begin.Under Japan’s legal system, authorities can ask courts to order a dissolution if a religious corporation “commits an act that is clearly found to harm public welfare substantially”.The government argued that the group’s tactics, which included approaching individuals without disclosing its identity and soliciting large donations, constituted violations of civil law.The entrance of the Unification Church’s headquarters in South Korea in December 2025. The group is also under investigation in the country. Photo: EPA/YonhapIt filed a dissolution request in October 2023 on the grounds that these practices continued nationwide over a long period, resulting in numerous victims.The Unification Church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, denied organisational involvement in improper solicitations, stating that harm caused by donations has decreased since 2009, when it declared stricter compliance measures.