On Wednesday, former executives of Japan's dissolved Unification Church reportedly established a new organization under the name Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), led by former head Masaichi Hori. Although the original body faced court-ordered liquidation, its successor aims to continue the movement's religious activities, marking a potential new chapter in a case that has captured national attention.
In 2025, a district court in Tokyo ordered the church to disband after it was accused by the government of manipulating followers to make large donations. Last month, the Tokyo High Court upheld the decision, rejecting the organization's claim that the donations were part of legitimate religious activities. According to the presiding judge, Motoko Miki, the group caused financial losses in excess of ¥7.4 billion to 506 people.
Religious Activities To Continue Despite Dissolution Order
Stripped of its status as a tax-exempt religious corporation, the church's assets were placed under the control of a liquidator, and its more than 300 activity bases were, in principle, rendered unusable, forcing followers to pray at home and other locations. Its website and social media accounts were also shut down. However, the dissolution order does not prohibit or restrict the religious activities of the church's followers.
"We are hearing our believers ask, 'I want to make donations, but what should I do?' We need a new organization to manage donations," a person affiliated with the church told The Asahi Shimbun. The comment suggests that continued demand from followers has driven the creation of a successor body despite legal setbacks. Journalist Eito Suzuki is concerned that "further harm could occur" as the organization collects donations.
Abe's Killer Accuses Unification Church in Japan of Causing His Family's Financial Ruin
The church — founded by Sun Myung Moon in South Korea in 1954 — has long been controversial. Known for its mass wedding ceremonies and aggressive proselytizing, it came under intense scrutiny in Japan following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. The man who killed him, Tetsuya Yamagami, claimed that his family's financial ruin, caused by the church's coercive donations, fueled his grudge against the politician.
Investigations found that financial abuse had been a key part of the church's operations since the 1980s. In March 2025, it became the third organization in Japan to lose its status as a religious entity. The other two were Aum Shinrikyo, the doomsday cult that attacked the Tokyo underground with sarin gas, and the Myokakuji Temple group, whose leader swindled 12 people out of ¥21.5 million.
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