Editing Unification Church (section)

===In Japan (1970–2025)===
{{Main|Criticism of Unification Church in Japan}}
The Unification Church in Japan has faced several controversies:
* Rebranding – In 1997, the Japanese Unification Church's request to change its name was rejected due to ongoing lawsuits. In 2015, the name change to "Family Federation for World Peace and Unification" was approved, though the approval process reportedly involved unusual reports.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 3, 2022 |title=Name change by Unification Church a baffling issue years later |url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14686350 |website=[[The Asahi Shimbun]]}}</ref>
* Spiritual sales – The Unification Church in Japan faced accusations of pressuring members into financial ruin through "spiritual sales." This led to 35,000 compensation claims and {{USD|206 million|long=no}} recovered. The church claims it has emphasized legal compliance and stopped these practices since 2009.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Worth |first=Robert F. |date=September 18, 2023 |title=The Bizarre Story Behind Shinzo Abe's Assassination |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/10/shinzo-abe-assassination-japan-unification-church-moonies/675114/ |access-date=July 25, 2024 |work=The Atlantic |language=en |issn=2151-9463}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Transcript: Unification Church news conference on Abe shooting |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Shinzo-Abe/Transcript-Unification-Church-news-conference-on-Abe-shooting |access-date=July 25, 2024 |website=[[Nikkei Asia]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>
* The [[assassination of Shinzo Abe]] – Shinzo Abe's assassination by [[Tetsuya Yamagami]], who blamed Abe for his family's bankruptcy due to the Unification Church, led Japan's ruling party (the [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democrats]]) to cut ties with the church in August 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 13, 2022 |title=【独自】関係者「母親は旧統一教会に献金１億円」、土地・自宅売却で破産 : 読売新聞オンライン |url=https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20220713-OYT1T50136/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713085752/https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20220713-OYT1T50136/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 13, 2022 |access-date=July 25, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2022 |title=【速報】旧統一教会と関係絶てない議員「同じ党で活動できない」 自民党・茂木幹事長（TBS NEWS DIG Powered by JNN） |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/bfb8dca4cd50160f6c93177b57e9808aa850d110 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831073533/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/bfb8dca4cd50160f6c93177b57e9808aa850d110 |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 31, 2022 |access-date=July 25, 2024 }}</ref> On 25 March 2025, a court in Tokyo ordered the Japanese branch of the Unification Church to disband, three years after it had come under scrutiny following Abe's assassination.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-05 |title=Japanese Court Disbands Unification Church in Wake of Abe Killing - The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/world/asia/japanese-court-church-disband.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250405111851/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/25/world/asia/japanese-court-church-disband.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2025-04-05 |access-date=2025-04-05 }}</ref>
* Revocation of religious corporation status and subsequent order of disbandment by the Japanese government – On October 12, 2023, Japan's Ministry of Education announced plans to dissolve the Unification Church under Article 81 of the Religious Juridical Person Law, citing deviations from legitimate religious practices. This marked the first such action against a religious organization without a criminal conviction. The church stated its intention to contest the order legally. As of March 7, 2024, the government increased monitoring of the church's assets under a new law aimed at addressing unfair solicitation practices.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Tim |date=October 12, 2023 |title=Japan to ask court to strip Unification Church of religious status |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-ask-court-strip-unification-church-religious-status-2023-10-12/ |website=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Press |first=Jiji |date=March 7, 2024 |title=Japan Puts Unification Church under Stricter Monitoring (Update 1) |url=https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/politics/politics-government/20240307-173028/ |access-date=July 25, 2024 |website=japannews.yomiuri.co.jp |language=en}}</ref> Subsequently, on March 25, 2025, the [[Tokyo District Court]] ordered the dissolution of the Unification Church's Japanese branch.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khalil |first=Shaimaa |last2=Ng |first2=Kelly |date=2025-03-25 |title=Japan court orders controversial 'Moonies' church to disband |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cge1lr7225yo |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> The ruling revoked the church's legal religious [[judicial person]] status, removing its tax-exempt privileges and requiring the liquidation of its assets. However, the church is still permitted to operate in Japan and has declared its intention to appeal the decision to the Tokyo High Court,<ref>{{cite news |date=March 25, 2025 |script-title=ja:旧統一教会に解散命令 東京地裁 経緯は 今後の手続きは |trans-title="Tokyo District Court Orders Former Unification Church to Dissolve" |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20250325/k10014759591000.html |access-date=March 25, 2025 |newspaper=NHK |language=ja}}</ref> citing the request to dissolve was a "serious threat to the human rights and religious freedom of its followers".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-25 |title=A court orders the dissolution of the Unification Church in Japan |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/25/asia/court-dissolution-unification-church-japan-intl-hnk/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250325075551/https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/25/asia/court-dissolution-unification-church-japan-intl-hnk/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2025-03-25 |access-date=2025-04-12 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-25 |title=A court orders the Unification Church in Japan dissolved {{!}} AP News |url=https://apnews.com/article/japan-unification-church-dissolution-d5e1fdf3cb671d6ffeb45d75620ef8b2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250325085836/https://apnews.com/article/japan-unification-church-dissolution-d5e1fdf3cb671d6ffeb45d75620ef8b2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2025-03-25 |access-date=2025-04-12 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-26 |title=Court orders dissolution of Unification Church in Japan - Japan Today |url=https://japantoday.com/category/national/Japanese-court-orders-dissolution-of-Unification-Church |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326003035/https://japantoday.com/category/national/Japanese-court-orders-dissolution-of-Unification-Church |url-status=dead |archive-date=2025-03-26 |access-date=2025-04-12 }}</ref>
* Civil lawsuits against Japanese critics and government – The Unification Church and its affiliates filed lawsuits against Japanese media, lawyers, journalists, and ex-members discussing its fundraising and recruitment. Legal actions increased after ties with Japanese politicians were revealed post-Abe's assassination. Critics allege these lawsuits are to silence opposition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MatsumotoTakahiro |date=July 28, 2023 |title=統一教会がスラップ連発～問われる日本の民主主義 |url=https://sdp.or.jp/sdp-paper/slapp-2/ |access-date=July 25, 2024 |website=社民党 SDP Japan |language=ja}}</ref>
* Child adoption – The Unification Church in Japan was investigated for unauthorized child transfers between members' families since 2018. They reported 31 adoptions but denied acting as intermediaries. Following scrutiny, the church removed references to child adoption from its handbook in February 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 1, 2023 |title=Editorial: Japan gov't needs to uncover Unification Church's murky adoption practice |url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230201/p2a/00m/0op/017000c |access-date=July 25, 2024 |work=Mainichi Daily News |language=en}}</ref>