The Japanese government filed a court order to strip the Unification Church of its status as a religious corporation after it came under greater scrutiny in the wake of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination in July 2022.

The church had assiduously courted politicians to give itself a veil of legitimacy, winning support through various political and non-profit outfits. Research Director Sota Kato told the Straits Times that the church’s army of supporters not only supplied politicians with volunteers for their electoral campaigns but also organized votes.

A final judgment on whether to revoke the organization of its status is likely take years, given that both sides are likely to fight the case all the way to the Supreme Court.

“Japan govt asks court to revoke Unification Church’s status as religious corporation,” Straits Times
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japan-govt-asks-court-to-revoke-unification-church-s-status-as-religious-corporation

Profile of Research Director Sota Kato
https://www.tkfd.or.jp/en/experts/detail.php?id=29