Family members of Unification Church followers welcome upcoming legislation on donations
16:35 JST, December 9, 2022
Families of Unification Church followers held a press conference in Tokyo on Thursday to express their appreciation for an upcoming bill that prohibits unscrupulous solicitations of large donations.
“It is a miracle for a law to be made in such a short period of time,” said a woman who uses the pseudonym Sayuri Ogawa. She has been speaking since October about her experiences of being a child of church members. Speaking on behalf of people who suffered, Ogawa said, “Even after this, please don’t forget about us.”
Tatsuo Hashida, from Kochi Prefecture, said his former wife made many large donations to the Unification Church, which contributed to his family breaking up. His eldest son later took his own life. Hashida said in anticipation of the new law: “It is like a page of a new chapter being opened for families that have been troubled by religion. I want to thank everyone involved.”
The legislation is expected to be approved Saturday after deliberations in the House of Councillors.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
-
Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
-
U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
-
JAL Airplane Experiences Radio Malfunction During Flight, Lands Safely By Relying on Light Signals
-
Cherry tree falls on man on Sanneizaka steps leading to famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto
JN ACCESS RANKING
- M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
- China Mutes Memorialization of Reformer Hu Yaobang; Memories Could Spark Critique of Xi Administration
- Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
- U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
- UNRWA Director Describes Catastrophic Destruction in Gaza; Says Relief Trucks Robbed, ‘People’s Hearts Destroyed’