Japan Court Allows Cross-Examination of Two Former Unification Church Members in Dissolution Case

The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has submitted 294 written statements or deposition transcripts in its lawsuit seeking a dissolution order against the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, formerly known as the Unification Church. These statements were prepared by former members and others, but among the authors, 33 individuals were not former members. These included relatives of current members, MEXT officials, and an opposition lawyer. Of the 261 former members, approximately 90% joined the organization more than fifteen years ago, with some having joined over fifty years ago or leaving decades ago.

The Family Federation has challenged the validity of the statements and transcripts, particularly those previously used in past lawsuits against the organization. The critical issue in the dissolution order case is whether there are current valid grounds for dissolution. As such, the Family Federation focused its rebuttal on the statements of 18 former first-generation members who joined the organization after the 2009 compliance declaration. This declaration marked a policy change regarding donations and the sale of artifacts, making the organization compliant with new Japanese consumer laws.

Of these 18 members, five former female members had statements that were demonstrably false based on objective evidence. The Family Federation requested cross-examinations of these individuals, but MEXT initially refused to allow cross-examinations of two of them. The court eventually permitted cross-examinations of three individuals, including two former female members, W1 and W2. Cross-examinations took place on December 9 and December 12, 2024, respectively. Additionally, interrogations of three active believers provided by the Family Federation were conducted on both hearing dates.

The purpose of these cross-examinations was to establish that the MEXT had fabricated false statements to incriminate the Family Federation. The Family Federation emphasized the importance of truth and fairness in legal proceedings, as highlighted in Proverbs 18:17, which underscores the necessity of examining evidence thoroughly to ensure justice. The case continues to unfold, with the court considering the validity of the submitted statements and the implications for the organization’s future.

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