Statement from the World Mission Headquarters
... We remain committed to the vision of “one family of humankind under God,” steadfastly continuing our work in 194 nations to foster harmony within families, to contribute to society and to pursue peace-building efforts.…
Statement in Response to the High Court Decision
... It is profoundly regrettable that, despite the absence of concrete evidence of any violation of statutory law and without due recognition of the efforts made toward reform and improvement, the District Court’s dissolution order…
If Civil Liability Is Enough, Is Any Faith Safe?
... Beyond institutional and constitutional theory, there is also a human dimension. Tens of thousands of adherents in Japan identify with the Family Federation as their spiritual community. For them, the dissolution of the religious…
Constitution: Dissolution Requires Public Trial
... Just as with the Tokyo District Court’s decision last March, the biggest problem with the Tokyo High Court’s recent dissolution order against the Family Federation is that it was issued without granting the right…
The Unification Church Verdict: The New Martyrs of Japan
... Religions tend to outlast the forces that seek to destroy them. Those forces may believe they have “won” in Japan. History suggests otherwise. It is usually the persecuted who have the last laugh.
Loss of Appeal Part of Systemic Persecution
... We will never accept this unjust judicial decision and will continue to fight – including by filing a special appeal – to defend freedom of religion.
The Unification Church and the Pal Paradox in Japan
... Japan has honored Pal for decades. Its courts now face a test of whether Pal’s principled position still applies—three quarters of a century later—when the defendant is unpopular and the political waters are churning.
Japan: The Dissolution of the Unification Church and International Law. 2
... The urgent statement by the Special Rapporteurs constitutes a final warning: if higher courts uphold this decision, Japan will be in clear violation of its international obligations and will face severe criticism from the…
Japan: The Dissolution of the Unification Church and International Law.1
... The Human Rights Committee has emphasized that these limitation clauses must be interpreted strictly. Restrictions based on grounds not explicitly listed in the Covenant are not permitted as limitations on freedom of religion or…
South Korea: A Law to Dissolve Churches at Will
... South Korea’s Parliament is currently considering a legal amendment that is so extensive and dismissive of constitutional protections that one might question whether its authors expect the public to read beyond the introduction.