Man Protests Home Visit By Ex - Unification Church Official
A man in western Japan says he has lodged a complaint against the religious group previously known as the Unification Church after a senior official visited his home without his consent and asked him not to speak to the media. He says his ex-wife -- a follower of the group -- gave about 670,000 dollars to it, ruining his family.
The man, Hashida Tatsuo, held a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday about the complaint and the unwelcome visit by the official.
The group is now called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.
Hashida said the head of the group's reform promotion team, Teshigawara Hideyuki, visited his house in Kochi Prefecture on Sunday. He said the official demanded they have one-on-one talks and asked him not to appear in the media.
Hashida said he received a phone call from a local official of the group the previous day but declined any visit to his home.
He also said the former Unification Church is aware his family has been suffering because of the group and also that his son took his life. Hashida called the visit an act lacking common sense.
His lawyer said the group wants to suppress the voices of people who have been victimized by the group. He said the important point is that the group demanded a one-on-one meeting, which he said indicates it is trying to prevent the involvement of media and lawyers in the matter.
The lawyer said he sent a letter of complaint to the group urging it not to directly contact Hashida.
A group official said the visit to Hashida's home was to find out the facts. The official also said the organization wants to deal with all issues in good faith and hopes to ask Hashida what he wants the group to do.