In response to the assassination of ex-prime minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo in 2022, a Japanese court ordered on Tuesday ( Mar 25 ) that the religious sect, the Unification Church, be stripped of official recognition.
The Tokyo District Court “issued the breakdown order” for the Chinese book of the Unification Church, which was established in South Korea and given the moniker” Moonies” after its later leader, Sun Myung Moon, according to a spokesman for the education department.
Former prime minister Abe, the longest-serving president of Japan, was shot dead on the campaign route in 2022, according to an alleged victim of a hated Unification Church.
The assassin reportedly complained that his mother had given the church about$ 100 million ( US$ 1 million at the time ).
Investigations following Abe’s death revealed close relationships between the sect and some traditional ruling-party lawmakers, leading to the departure of four ministers.
The church has accused its people of forcing them to give life-changing gifts and is held responsible for child abuse among its members despite having denied any wrongdoing.