A Japanese court revoked the Unification Church's legal status, ending its tax exemption and requiring asset liquidation. The decision followed investigations linking the church to the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The church condemned the ruling, calling it a violation of religious freedom.

A Japanese court has ordered the Unification Church to be stripped of official recognition, according to a statement from the government on Tuesday. This ruling means the church will lose its tax-exempt status and will be required to liquidate its assets.

The decision by Tokyo's District Court supports a government request to revoke the church's legal status following an investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. Despite the ruling, the South Korea-based religious organization retains the right to appeal in a higher court.

Abe was shot and killed during a campaign event by a man reportedly angry about the connections between Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and the Unification Church. Reports indicated that the assassin was upset because his mother had donated approximately 100 million yen ($1 million) to the church, which led to significant financial hardship for the family.

Subsequent investigations revealed that numerous conservative lawmakers had established close relationships with the church, deepening public scrutiny of the organization's influence in political spheres.

The Unification Church criticized the court's decision, describing it as "a wrong legal interpretation and absolutely unacceptable."

The church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, was founded in South Korea and is colloquially called the "Moonies" after its founder, Sun Myung Moon. It was officially recognized in Japan in 1968, aided by Abe's grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi.

In 2023, Japan's Education Ministry requested the dissolution of the church's Japanese branch, citing manipulative and damaging fundraising and recruitment practices that negatively affected its followers and their families. The church viewed this request as a violation of its followers' religious freedom and human rights.

This case marks the first time a religious group in Japan has faced a revocation order of this kind. Historically, Japan's legal system has been cautious about regulating religious activities due to the country's past experiences with suppressing personal freedoms during wartime.