The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has rejected an application to grant nonprofit organization status to the Japanese branch of China's outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement, officials said.

"There is doubt over its claim that it does not chiefly aim at religious activities," an official said Wednesday.

China, which has intensified a crackdown on Falun Gong, conveyed its anxiety to Japan after the Tokyo branch , named Japan Falun Dafa and based in Adachi Ward, applied in November to the metropolitan government for NPO status.

"We had not even imagined that our application would be turned down. We must consider filing an appeal or lawsuit," said Masaaki Tsuruzono, a Japanese representative of the group's practitioners in Japan.

Relatively few applications for NPO status have been rejected in Japan since a law authorizing prefectural governments to grant groups such status came into force in December 1998.

"It is hard to conclude definitely that it is a religion," the metro official said. "However, it seems to depend fully on its founder's thoughts, while its doctrines include something supernatural -- such as healing diseases with 'qigong' breathing techniques."

The group's application to the metropolitan government says it aims to publicize Falun Gong practices through volunteer activities and that it will not engage in any religious or political activities.

The metropolitan government rejected the application not only because of doubts over the group's religiousness, but also because it says it will allow only those who recognize and love the Falun Gong way to enter the group , the officials said.

Another reason for the refusal of the application is that since the group's balance sheet shows no income or expenditure, it is thought to be unable to engage in any activities, they said.

Under the 1998 law, a group cannot obtain NPO status if its chief aim is religious or political activities -- or if it puts unfair conditions on participation in the group. Authorities must decide whether to grant NPO status within four months of an application being filed.

If NPO status is granted, a group can register as a legal body, making it easier to rent an office or open bank accounts.

Falun Gong is a mixture of Taoist, Buddhist and folk religions. More than 10,000 practitioners peacefully surrounded Beijing's Zhongnanhai leaders' compound last April to demand official recognition of the group.

China's authorities banned Falun Gong in July, branding it an "evil sect."

Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukushiro Nukaga denied that the central government influenced the decision, saying, "I believe the Tokyo metropolitan authorities made their own decision."