In a significant development, Han Hak-ja, the 82-year-old leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church), has been arrested in South Korea on suspicion of violating political funds law. This arrest has reignited calls for justice and restitution for victims in Japan.

The Source of Unification Church's Wealth

The National Lawyers Network Against the Unification Church in Japan, which has been actively working to rescue victims in Japan, issued a statement on September 23 following the arrest. The statement highlights a critical issue: 'The abundant funds of the Unification Church, which underpin its illegal activities in Korea, are believed to have originated from massive remittances from Japan. This money was originally extorted from Japanese victims through spiritual sales and exorbitant donations.'

Demands for Justice and Accountability

The statement vehemently asserts that these funds 'should be returned to the Japanese victims. It is utterly outrageous that this money was illegally used for the Unification Church's self-serving expansion of influence in South Korea.' The lawyers' network is demanding that 'the Korean headquarters of the Unification Church also fulfill its responsibility for the relief of Japanese victims.' This arrest and the subsequent statement from the Japanese legal community underscore the international dimensions of the Unification Church's activities and the ongoing struggle for accountability and victim compensation across borders.