The suspect arrested in the shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was reportedly motivated by a grudge against the Unification Church. The religious group’s aggressive solicitation of members and its so-called spiritual sales, in which people are talked into buying items for exorbitant prices, have been a social problem in Japan since the 1980s.
The group, which changed its name to the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in 2015, claims that it has fully complied with relevant laws since 2009. But according to the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales, the total amount of damages since 2009 has reached as much as ¥17.5 billion.
What has been going on inside the group? A former student follower has revealed its brainwashing techniques and activities, and how he was able to leave the church.