Supreme Court Rules Against Unification Church in Donation Case

Supreme Court Rules Against Church

The Supreme Court of Japan has ruled in favor of a woman seeking damages from the Unification Church, formerly known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. The ruling invalidates a memorandum signed by the woman's mother, a former follower of the church, stating that she would not seek compensation for her donations.

The case involved the eldest daughter of a deceased Unification Church follower who had donated over 100 million yen to the church. The daughter claimed that her mother was pressured into making the donations and was suffering from dementia at the time she signed the memorandum waiving her right to compensation.

Lower courts had ruled in favor of the church, upholding the validity of the memorandum. However, the Supreme Court overturned this decision, stating that the memorandum was invalid due to the mother's possible dementia and the undue influence exerted by the church.

This landmark ruling opens the door for the daughter to pursue damages from the church. It also sets a precedent for other cases involving similar agreements made for donations to the Unification Church.

The Supreme Court's decision raises questions about the systematic involvement of the church in soliciting donations and its responsibility as an employer in such cases. The Tokyo High Court is expected to hear the case on the illegality of the solicitation and determine the church's liability.

This case highlights the ongoing controversy surrounding the Unification Church and its fundraising practices. The ruling serves as a reminder of the importance of informed consent and the need to protect vulnerable individuals from undue influence.