The Unification Church is the first religious group in Japan to face a revocation order under civil law. Two other groups have lost their status previously but due to criminal cases – Aum Shinrikyo, which carried out the Tokyo subway sarin attack, and Myokakuji, whose leaders were convicted of fraud.

A Japanese court on Tuesday issued an order to dissolve the Unification Church, upholding the government request for a revocation, NHK television said. Tokyo District Court’s revocation of the church’s legal status means it will lose its tax-exempt privilege and must liquidate its assets.

The decision of the court in Tokyo strips the Unification Church of its religious organization status, following a request by the central government. The Japanese court in Tokyo decided to dissolve the Unification Church at the request of the central government.