Former Unification Church Launches New FFWPU Group as Shoichi Hori Faces Scrutiny Over Troubling Start

“Mr. Hori!”

The moment Shoichi Hori, who served as the president of the former Unification Church (Family Federation for World Peace and Unification), made eye contact with the FRIDAY reporter who called out to him, he made a gesture as if to block the camera (photo above). As the reporter continued to throw questions at Mr. Hori, who was trying to walk away at a fast pace, he stopped his feet a short distance away, and opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind—.

The reason for visiting Mr. Hori was to confirm the truth behind the establishment of the new organization. It has been one month since the Tokyo High Court issued a decision on March 4 upholding the dissolution order against the religious organization. While the liquidation procedures are entering full swing, a certain report popped up.

“Former Unification Church to establish new organization on the 8th—’FFWPU’, currently in liquidation procedures.”

Kyodo News reported this on April 7. The content stated that the former Unification Church is aiming to establish an organization called “FFWPU” for the purpose of continuing the religious activities of its followers. The name is the same as the abbreviation of the English name of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, and it will also accept donations.

What is seen as becoming the parent body of the new organization is the general incorporated foundation “Hyo Jeong Education and Culture Foundation,” which has its office in the “Seiyaku Building” in Shinjuku Court, Tokyo. According to the registry, the foundation, which was established in 2018, aimed for scholarship programs and youth development programs, but as of March 7, three days after the High Court decision, it added “support programs for the harmony, unity, and revitalization of the religious world” and “religious activities involving rituals and education” to its business purposes. On the following day, the 8th, Mr. Hori assumed office as the representative director.

A person related to the former Unification Church speaks.

“Mr. Hori is an elite who symbolizes the religious organization’s second-generation line. We call children born after the mass wedding blessed second-generation, and Mr. Hori is among the very first blessed second-generation in Japan, and his father is a longest-serving executive. Furthermore, the wife he re-blessed—remarried—is the daughter of the religious organization’s heavyweight, former president Hideo Oyamada (84). Mr. Hori is an existence possessing ‘the highest bloodline legitimacy.'”

The former Unification Church has lost its public backing as a religious corporation due to the dissolution order. In placing Mr. Hori, who should be called a thoroughbred, as the representative of the new organization, the intention to maintain centripetal force toward shaken followers is transparent.

In fact, Mr. Hori has appeared numerous times in sermon videos on YouTube operated by an organization related to the religious group for its followers. Perhaps to avoid access by non-followers, the channel updates frequently while changing its handle name every time. In a video recently confirmed by the author titled “Cheon Shim Won Special All-Night Jeongseong,” there was a scene where a second-generation female follower pleaded, “With what kind of heart should we protect our faith from now on?” and an executive man screamed, “Please give strength to the suffering second- and third-generation in Japan!”

Currently, the assets of the religious group are placed under the control of a liquidator, but the new organization is a separate legal entity, and there is a high possibility that funds obtained through its activities will be treated separately from the existing property of the former Unification Church. The religious group has sent large amounts of donations to its headquarters in South Korea, and that amount is said to be just under 60 billion yen in the five-year period from fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022 alone.

“If the new organization begins collecting donations, funds will move outside the framework of the liquidation procedures. Since the religious group’s website, which was the donation window, has been suspended, it is said that they will receive donations on the new organization’s website. However, because the building housing the headquarters of the parent body, the Hyo Jeong Education and Culture Foundation, belonged to the religious group and is scheduled to be sold, there are also rumors that they will prepare a new base. If that is realized, it can be called a substantial restart of the religious group,” (National Newspaper Social Affairs Desk).

What is the purpose of establishing the new organization? Is it aiming to be a receptacle for donations? After the scene at the beginning, Mr. Hori responded to the interview dispassionately.

——What changes with the new organization?

“Stopping the kinds of things that were being criticized (such as spiritual sales), continuing things in compliance, in accordance with the law, meaning to continue faith activities.”

——If you solicit donations, won’t it end up being the same thing?

“It is for continuing religious activities.”

——Starting anew under the name “FFWPU”?

“Um, that is a false report, probably. Since that is under consideration, and it is not a situation where anything can be done yet, it was reported with a feeling of ‘having scored a scoop’ based on half-heard information, so that is a bit. I think they were talking about whether or not to obtain a (website) domain, though.”

——Is a new vessel really necessary?

“Since it is currently in a form with no legal entity, in order for somewhere to say this side is official, there is a need to create it, I think. There are various things like weddings and funerals, right? We must create a framework to continue that kind of life of faith.”

Mr. Hori, who pleaded the necessity of a new framework. It is certain that the religious group is changing its signboards and trying to reconnect faith and organization.