Unification Church hit with fresh fines for impeding gov't inquiry

The church is a South Korean religious organization established by a staunch anti-communist in 1954. In Japan, the church has long been criticized for extracting huge donations from followers via "spiritual sales," in which victims are pressured to buy items at exorbitant prices.

After an almost yearlong investigation, the government filed a request in October 2023 with the district court for the dissolution order over the church's donation practices, a move that would deprive the group of its tax benefits.

Considering how swiftly the authorities can move in the confiscation of assets and detention with even no charges in other cases, whenever they operate with extreme slowness and trepidation it points to powerful interests involved.

¥100,000? That is it? They got 5000x that in donations in a single day...They don't care.

Find a way to put these people out of business altogether. Fine them, prosecute them, ostracize them. . .whatever it takes. It's just another big business doing whatever it takes to screw over the little people.

A Japanese court on Tuesday fined the Unification Church with a 100,000 yen penalty for refusing to respond to the government's inquiry into its alleged illegal donation solicitations.

Ridiculous and a sterling example of a two-tier injustice system.

Most honest, hard-working people pay for more than this in taxes in a month.

And this is to a tax exempt org with massive assets.

Tanaka can find this by digging around in his couch.

The church maintains its senior officials have never been implicated in a criminal case

Because no one ever stood against them before and they've always gotten away to scamming the gullible.

And a 100,000 yen penalty is freaking peanuts.

100,000 yen??

Don't hurt them too much or they won't donate many multiples of that to the LDP....shameless!

It's better for the government also investigate other propitious cults as:

-Jehova's Witnesses

-Fujisekiji Kenshoukai(冨士大石寺顕正会）

People come knocking on my door very often, and it's very annoying...

And I know at least a little bit about Fujisekiji Kenshoukai: they even charge fees to join them, and ask for donations at the end of the year.

 a move that would deprive the group of its tax benefits.

No religious group should enjoy tax benefits. They all should be subject to pay income tax and keep a proper bookkeeping system, same like any other business has to do it.

EastmannToday 10:44 am JST

People come knocking on my door very often, and it's very annoying...

this have happened to me too.

when they came first time i spoke with them in english.they did not understand and left.

when they came second time with english speaking guy -i spoke with them in russian.they dd not understand and left.

when they came third time they asked me through translator in russian.I have said that I am muslim...

they left and have never returned back.

When they came to me I told them I will be happy and will always join them if they invite me.

My fees as a 'gaijin prayer' are as follows:

Silent prayer = yen 2000,- per hour

Praying aloud in a group = yen 5000,- per hour

Praying alone, sitting in front of the group as a leader, while all others are listening to me = yen 10.000,- per hour - of course exclusive taxi fare to their place and other expenses like meals, which will be billed separately.

Most of these unwanted visitors made a sad face and left without saying a single word, but I remember one who was asking me 'What? What? We invite you to visit our temple and you want money from us?'

My reply: 'Do you work for free?'

He left immediately, never seen again....