The Unification Church, under scrutiny in the aftermath of the killing of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has emotionally entrapped many people such as the accused gunman's mother, lawyers committed to helping alleged victims of the religious body said Friday.
A group of three from the National Network of Lawyers against Spiritual Sales told a news conference that the church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, receives donations by instilling fear in believers for relatives both living and deceased, including the specter of hell.
Comprising about 300 lawyers and established in 1987, the network has repeatedly petitioned the government and politicians including Abe not to recognize the church. As of 2021, it had taken consultations nationwide on 34,537 cases, with losses totaling about ¥123.7 billion ($923 million).