Senator Hamada claims declining judge quality and predicts Supreme Court reversal as he maintains dissolution verdict is unconstitutional
Tokyo, 31st March 2025 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article.
Order to Dissolve Family Federation “Will Be Overturned by Supreme Court”
by the editorial department of Sekai Nippo
prepared by Knut Holdhus
Senator Hamada Cites “Unconstitutionality”
Regarding the Tokyo District Court‘s decision to order the dissolution of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church), NHK Party Senator Satoshi Hamada (浜田聡参) stated on 29th March that the quality of district court judges has declined in recent years. He expressed his view that “the decision will likely be overturned by the Supreme Court on the grounds of unconstitutionality.” He made these remarks at an event primarily attended by Family Federation believers in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture.
Hamada noted that media reports on the Family Federation often focus on former believers who claim to have been victimized. He also pointed out that coverage of Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito (斎藤元彦) mainly features people opposing him. He remarked, “The reporting on the Family Federation and the Hyogo governor share some similarities.”
Addressing Family Federation believers, Hamada emphasized that “political battles must be fought strategically.” He encouraged them to take actions such as following social media accounts that support the organization and purchasing shares in television networks.
[Editor’s note: “NHK Party” is short for “The Party to Protect the People from NHK” (NHKから国民を守る党, NHK kara Kokumin wo Mamoru Tō, often abbreviated as N-Koku) is a minor political party in Japan. It was founded in 2013 by Takashi Tachibana, a former NHK employee, with the primary goal of opposing Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai). The party criticizes NHK’s mandatory subscription fees and has campaigned to allow people to avoid paying for NHK if they don’t watch it.
Over time, the party has shifted its focus, rebranding multiple times and addressing broader issues, but its core stance remains opposition to NHK. It has gained attention for its unconventional campaigning methods and populist rhetoric but has had limited electoral success.]
Featured image above: Senator Satoshi Hamada (浜田聡参) giving a speech at a gathering March 28, 2025, Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture Photo: Rei Miyazawa (宮沢玲衣)