Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Justin McCurry in Osaka

Japan may seek to dissolve Moonies church in wake of Shinzo Abe killing

A portrait of Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe is seen during a memorial service on the first anniversary of his death, at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo on July 8, 2023.
A portrait of Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe is seen during a memorial service on the first anniversary of his death, at Zojoji Temple in Tokyo on July 8, 2023. The Unification church may be dissolved in the wake of an inquiry sparked by the killing. Photograph: Philip Fong/AFP/Getty Images

Japan’s government may ask courts to order the dissolution of the Unification church following the assassination in July last year of the former prime minister Shinzo Abe, according to multiple local reports.

The church, whose members are known colloquially as Moonies, could be subject to a court order to disband as early as next month, pending the completion of an inquiry into the group’s controversial fundraising activities, according to the Kyodo news agency, which cited an unnamed government source.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.