The Unification Church's headquarters in South Korea has told its branches worldwide to manage their assets in accordance with the laws of their respective countries amid speculation the Japan branch may transfer its assets overseas to avoid liquidation when it is issued a dissolution order, a church source said Monday.
Lawmakers are stepping up efforts to ensure the assets of the Japan affiliate will be used to help victims of the group's aggressive donation solicitation tactics after the government filed a request with a court this month for an order to dissolve the branch, a move that would deprive the group of its tax-exempt status.
The notification from the church, formally called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, said their assets "need to be managed according to respective country's laws" and that each branch is run "independently and with self-reliance," according to the source.