A religious group, accused of having cult-like structures, that became entangled with Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. It was dogged by scandals over deceptive recruitment practices and "spiritual sales" in the 1980s and 1990s, then faded from headlines.
After Yamagami Tetsuya assassinated former prime minister Abe Shinzo in July 2022—motivated by the church's role in bankrupting his family—extensive ties between the church and LDP members were exposed. Seven cabinet ministers were forced to resign. The Japanese government moved to strip the church of its status as a religious corporation, a demand that is still being contested in court.
If little else, the brain is an educational toy.