Japan’s Kishida eyes launching probe into controversial Unification Church, possibly dissolving religious group
- If order issued, church will lose status as a religious corporation and not be entitled to tax benefits, but it can still operate as a religious entity
- Church came under scrutiny after assailant who fatally shot ex-PM Shinzo Abe in July told investigators he harboured a grudge against group
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is considering launching an investigation into the Unification Church, a religious group under increased public scrutiny for links with the ruling party and financial troubles with its followers, government sources said Saturday.
The change in Kishida’s stance comes as he struggles with falling Cabinet support ratings stemming from his reluctance to address problems associated with the church, which remerged after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was killed more than three months ago.
Kishida is set to announce the plan on Monday in a session of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, saying he would order the education and culture minister to look into the religious group if needed, according to the sources.
His government has previously been cautious about ordering such a probe due to fears of violating freedom of religion.
Should the probe be carried out and depending on its outcome, the sources said the government could issue a dissolution order under the religious corporations law to the group, founded in South Korea in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon and often labelled by critics as a cult.