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2022-10-26 Donations to the Unification Church, which has lost its juridical personality, are "for example, if there is a donation of 100 million yen, roughly half of it goes to the Japanese treasury" [長年日記]

I wrote about it here.

Even if the dissolution order is confirmed by the court, it just "loses its status as a religious corporation" and can continue its religious activities.

In fact, in the Sarin gas attack on the subway, an indiscriminate terrorist attack using chemical weapons in a metropolitan area, a rare occurrence in the world,

(1) 14 people killed

(2) 6300 victims

(3) Culprit: Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara, real name Chizuo Matsumoto, and other Aum Shinrikyo leaders

(4) Matsumoto and 9 other Aum Shinrikyo leaders executed.

and (naturally) Aum Shinrikyo is ordered to disband.

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The Aum Shinrikyo side filed a lawsuit against this administrative action, citing "freedom of religion (Article 20 of the Constitution)" as the reason for revoking the dissolution order.

And, of course, the Supreme Court confirmed the dismissal of Aum Shinrikyo's claims.

What struck me was,

"Only 4 PDFs of the text of the decision"

Usually when I read a Supreme Court decision, I start out prepared to read 40-100 pages.

But as I read this mere four-page ruling

"Don't be stupid!"

"I can't keep up with them!"

I think I can hear the voice of the judges of the Supreme Court saying between the lines.

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The amazing thing is more to come.

The "Aum Shinrikyo" that caused this incident continues to operate as its successor religious organization, the Aleph(*).

(*) Well, they said "changing their principles (e.g., not having Chizuo Matsumoto as a guru)".

Of course, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Agency for Cultural Affairs) does not recognize Aleph as a religious corporation -- well, of course not.

The fact that a terrorist organization that mass murdered civilians is still continuing its religious activities, even though it has lost its juridical personality, is frightening, but we will come back to that later.

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Anyway, I think it makes sense for the "old name" Unification Church, in light of what it has done, to operate without a legal entity, just like Aleph -- no, I don't want Aleph to engage in religious activities, but....

The "Unification Church" should give up its corporate status here rather than face the above unseemly lawsuits.

And if they still want "money", they can do normal religious activities and continue to receive donations from their followers.

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Donations to the Unification Church, which has lost its juridical personality, are

"For example, if there is a donation of 100 million yen, roughly half of it goes to the Japanese treasury"

If managed well, it may become a "high tax paying religious organization (without legal personality)" that will be appreciated and respected by the Japanese people.

Still, I can assure you that they will never get "any respect from me (Ebata)".