Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet approved a new bill Thursday that will ban organizations from using fear to solicit donations, including the use of "spiritual inspiration" as way to push followers into giving funds.
Though the move is aimed at providing relief to followers of the controversial Unification Church and their family members, some of whom have been left in financial ruin due to donating large sums of money, the legislation covers nonreligious groups as well.
"The purpose of the legislation is to provide relief and prevent a recurrence of unjust soliciting of donations," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said in a news conference Thursday. "We've done our best to make it as effective as possible under the current legal framework."