Parliament on Saturday enacted a law to ban organizations from maliciously soliciting donations following controversy over the fundraising practices of the Unification Church.
Aiming to prevent more people from being victimized by controversial religious groups, the House of Councillors passed the bill with the support of the ruling bloc and most of the opposition parties on the final day of the 69-day extraordinary parliamentary session. The passing of the bill comes after the Cabinet made concessions on key issues with the opposition camp.
The bill cleared parliament five months after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot by the son of a follower of the Unification Church. Often labeled as a religious cult.