Could your religion be next? Buddhist chief priest warns of dissolution of other religions based on FFWPU case
Tokyo, 17th March 2025 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article.
Concern Over Dissolution Request Based on Civil Code
Precedent Set in Case Against the Family Federation May Affect Other Religions
Shindo Mizuta (水田真道), Chief Priest of Kongo-ji Temple, interviewed by Nobuo Kubota (窪田伸雄)
Prepared by Knut Holdhus
Interview Summary: Following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (安倍晋三) on 8th July 2022, the media intensely criticized the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church) and its political connections. Under the administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (岸田文雄), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) filed a dissolution request against the Family Federation with the Tokyo District Court. As the Family Federation has never been sentenced in any criminal case, MEXT instead cited “civil unlawful acts”. Chief Priest Shindo Mizuta (水田真道) of Kongō-ji Temple (金剛寺) in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, shares his concerns about the potential impact on other religious organizations.
Q: What are your views on the media coverage and the Family Federation after the Abe assassination?
A: To be honest, just based on what I saw on TV and read in the newspapers, I just took it for granted that some people were calling them a cult and that they were selling vases and books at high prices. I thought that if that was the case, it was only natural that they would be asked to be dissolved.
Until last summer, I didn’t have any particular doubts about the reports that the son of a Unification Church follower shot Abe because of these things, and I just thought that it was unfortunate that Abe was shot.
Q: Around last Summer, you say?
A: Members of the Family Federation visited me, saying, “The media is saying many things, but most people don’t really know the details, so we’d like you to understand.”
At first, I was cautious. However, since I have a stance of listening to anyone, I decided to hear them out. After that, I did my own research online and through other sources.
It’s possible that 30 or 40 years ago, the Family Federation engaged in aggressive recruitment tactics. However, I learned that since the organization issued a compliance declaration in 2009, there have been no reported incidents or cases of coercive solicitation.
When I think about it, what Tetsuya Yamagami (山上徹也) did was irrational. If he had targeted the leader of the Family Federation, that would have been somewhat understandable. But Abe was the one who was shot, and yet the media launched an intense attack on the Family Federation. I can’t help but feel a strong sense of discomfort with the way this has been reported.
Q: The Ministry of Education’s exercise of its right to question the Family Federation, its request for a dissolution order, and the hearings at the Tokyo District Court are all being conducted behind closed doors. However, the process has been heavy-handed, and even in the National Diet, concerns have been raised about false or fabricated statements in the submitted evidence.
A: To put it simply, it’s outrageous. Christianity, the Family Federation, and Buddhism all have different doctrines, but that’s not the issue here. What I’m concerned about is the legal aspect. If this dissolution request is accepted, then in the future, other religious organizations like ours could also face dissolution requests based on similarly flawed reasoning, leaving us unable to defend ourselves.
Since World War II, dissolution orders for religious corporations have only been issued to Aum Shinrikyo and Myokaku-ji, both of which violated criminal law. However, this case expands the interpretation to include “civil unlawful acts”.
When I read the PDF document from the Agency for Cultural Affairs regarding the dissolution request for the Family Federation, phrases like “large donations” and specific monetary figures stand out. But who determines what qualifies as a “large donation” or an excessive contribution?
For example, 10 million yen is a significant amount for me, but for a billionaire, it may be a trivial sum. For an elderly person living alone on a pension, even 50,000 yen could be a considerable amount. If a temple were to solicit a 100,000-yen donation for reconstruction, some might consider it reasonable, while others might find it burdensome.
If this case sets a precedent, then 20 years from now, the grandchild of someone who donated 10 million yen could file a civil lawsuit claiming, “My grandfather was brainwashed by the chief priest into making that donation, so return the money.”
And if that argument were used to demand the dissolution of a temple, we would have no way to counter it.
Q: By including “civil law” as a condition for filing a dissolution request, hasn’t the government’s administrative power over religion effectively increased?
A: The state now holds a powerful card. I suspect that at some point, they will begin taxing religious corporations, perhaps by imposing partial taxes on items like memorial tablets [See editor’s note 1] or protective charms [See editor’s note 2]. I am deeply concerned that the dissolution request and the exercise of the right to question religious organizations might be used as bargaining tools for such measures.
[Editor’s note 1: Buddhist memorial tablets, known as “ihai” (位牌) in Japanese, are wooden plaques used in ancestor worship and memorial services in Buddhism, particularly in Japan and other East Asian cultures. They serve as a spiritual representation of the deceased and are commonly placed on household altars (butsudan) or in temples. The ihai plays a central role in Obon (お盆) and death anniversaries, when families pay respects to their ancestors through offerings and chanting. Obon is an annual Buddhist festival for commemorating one’s ancestors, whose spirits are believed to temporarily come back to our world.]
[Editor’s note 2: Buddhist protective charms, known as “omamori” (お守り) in Japanese, are amulets or talismans believed to offer protection, good fortune, and blessings. They are commonly sold at Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan and other Buddhist cultures.]
[Editor’s note 3: The Rinzai sect is one of the major schools of Zen Buddhism in Japan, alongside the Sōtō and Ōbaku sects. It was founded in Japan by the monk Eisai (1141–1215), who introduced it from China during the late 12th century. Rinzai Zen is known for its use of kōans (paradoxical riddles or statements) to help students break through conventional thinking and attain sudden enlightenment (satori). Rinzai Zen had a significant influence on Japanese culture, inspiring ink painting, tea ceremony, calligraphy, and rock gardens.]
Featured image above: Shindo Mizuta (水田真道) was born in 1980 in Nishimamon, Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture as the eldest son of the chief priest of Kongō-ji Temple, a temple of the Myōshin-ji school of the Rinzai sect [See editor’s note 3]. Graduated from Tohoku University’s Faculty of Engineering and completed graduate studies at the same university. Trained for two years at Zuigan-ji Monastery in Matsushima Town, Miyagi Prefecture. Became vice chief priest of Kongō-ji and has served as chief priest since 2014. Photo: Sekai Nippo