An online petition has been launched to call on Japanese authorities for a court order to "disband" the former Unification Church under the Religious Corporations Act.
The campaign, which started on Monday, is organized by 39 individuals and groups, including supporters of former followers and their families, children of the members of the religious group, scholars and journalists.
The organizers state that group members' children suffer human rights violations through hardships caused by their parents' massive donations to the church, as well as forced belief. They also assert that the church's missionary work without revealing its name affects a large number of people.
They are calling on the culture and justice ministers to seek a "disband" order, saying court rulings have recognized the group as having committed organized illegal acts.
The petition organizers also point out that the religious group has not acknowledged the illegality of its past acts and cannot be expected to resolve problems through its own efforts.
They add that the order will only strip the group of corporate status, and that the freedom of religion will not be undermined.
The campaign is to run for one month. The organizers say they plan to submit the signatures to the relevant ministries and agencies as early as November.
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221017_17/
