Aug 5, 2024
Demonstration in Fukuoka: "Resolutely opposed to Japanese government's request for dissolution order"
政府が世界平和統一家庭連合（旧統一教会）に出した宗教法人の解散命令請求は不当だと訴える市民団体「基本的人権・信教の自由を守る福岡県民の会」は４日、同市内でシンポジウムを開いた。参加者は約１５００人。閉会後、そのうち約１２００人が街頭をデモ行進した。
同会の高島幸司代表は「福岡市は裁判の判決が出ていないにもかかわらず、反社会団体のように家庭連合には公共施設を貸さないという判断を下した。これは何十年も福岡に住んでいる私たち信者に対する宗教差別だ」と呼び掛けた。
解散請求の要件に家庭連合は該当しないと指摘する国際弁護士の中山達樹氏は、「解散請求の案件の判決には、あと２年ぐらいかかる。人間には『そこそこやる人』と『そこまでやるか』という２種類のタイプがあるが、この２年間、皆さんが『これ以上やれない』というくらい活動すれば、必ず今の状況を変えられる」と激励した。
北九州市議会の井上真吾議員も出席し、「一昨年の１２月、北九州市議会で家庭連合との関係断絶を宣言した北九州市議の一人として、実際に困っている家庭連合の信者の方々に対し、お詫びと救済の意味を込めて立ち上がった」と話すと、会場からは大きな拍手が起こった。
シンポジウムの閉会後、街頭でデモ行進に参加した信者らは、福岡市役所の周辺の繁華街を一周しながら、「日本政府の解散命令請求に断固反対」と訴えた。
家庭連合が宗教法人の解散になれば、全職員が失職、全資産が差し押さえられ、信者たちは礼拝所を失うなど信仰に大きな制限が加えられる。
On the 4th, the Fukuoka Prefectural Citizens' Association for the Protection of Fundamental Human Rights and Religious Freedom, a citizens' group that claims that the government's request to order the dissolution of a religious corporation issued to the World Peace Unification Family (formerly the Unification Church) is unjust, held a symposium in Fukuoka City. About 1,500 people participated. After the symposium closed, about 1,200 of them marched in the streets in a demonstration.
The association's representative, Takashima Koji, said, "Even though a court ruling has not been made, the city of Fukuoka has decided not to rent public facilities to the Unification Church, as if it were an anti-social organization. This is religious discrimination against us believers who have lived in Fukuoka for decades."
International lawyer Tatsuki Nakayama, who points out that the Unification Church does not meet the requirements for a dissolution request, encouraged the group, saying, "It will take about two more years for a ruling on the dissolution request case. There are two types of people: those who do 'just enough' and those who are 'willing to go that far'. But if you all work hard over the next two years to the point where you feel like 'I can't do any more,' you can definitely change the current situation."
Kitakyushu City Council member Inoue Shingo also attended and said, "As one of the Kitakyushu City Council members who declared at the Kitakyushu City Council in December of last year that we were severing ties with the Family Federation, I stood up to apologize and offer relief to the Family Federation believers who are actually in trouble," which drew loud applause from the audience.
After the symposium closed, the followers took part in a street demonstration, circling the busy shopping district around Fukuoka City Hall, calling for "firm opposition to the Japanese government's request for a dissolution order."
If the Unification Church is dissolved as a religious corporation, all employees will lose their jobs, all assets will be seized, and believers will lose their places of worship, resulting in significant restrictions on their faith.
