Head of Unification Church in Japan to Resign as Court Case Continues

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:14 JST, December 6, 2025

Tomihiro Tanaka, head of the Japan branch of the Unification Church, will soon resign from his post, according to sources close to the group.

Tanaka is expected to hold a press conference as early as next week to announce his resignation and explain his reasons, the sources said.

He also plans to apologize to former adherents of the church and others who have complained about damage caused by large donations to the group, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, according to the sources.

Tanaka, 69, became the group’s 14th president in Japan in 2020. Following the 2022 fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, criticism toward the church intensified.

In 2023, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry asked that a court order the church to dissolve.

Tanaka has been handling these issues. According to the sources, Tanaka has already informed church executives of his intention to resign.

In March, the Tokyo District Court issued a dissolution order. The church immediately appealed the ruling, and hearings at the Tokyo High Court concluded last month.