The scandal of a group linked to the Unification Church and its tunnel to Korea

An organization affiliated with the Unification Church has acquired vast tracts of land in the northern Kyushu region of southwestern Japan for a project that would create an underwater tunnel connecting Japan and South Korea.

The land covers at least 460,000 square meters , the equivalent of about 10 Tokyo Dome stadiums. The affiliated body also admitted that its predecessor accepted a donation of 10 billion yen, or about $75.5 million, from the religious group, now formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification . It is possible that the large donations that the Unification Church collected from its followers were used for the purpose of realizing the Japan-Korea tunnel project.

Through the underwater tunnel and other means, the city of Karatsu in Saga Prefecture is expected to be connected to South Korea through the islands of Iki and Tsushima in Nagasaki Prefecture. The late founder of the Unification Church, Sun Myung Moon, is said to have proposed the project in 1981.

The land was purchased by the International Highway Foundation (IHF), a Tokyo-based general incorporated foundation that is promoting the tunnel project. Between November and December last year, the Mainichi Shimbun examined the records for each plot based on material from the IHF and other sources. It found that at least about 165,000 square meters of land was owned by the foundation in Karatsu City, about 280,000 square meters in Tsushima City, and about 17,000 square meters in Iki City. All areas are located along the planned tunnel route.

An investigation into the change in land ownership found that about 440,000 square meters, or about 95% of the total, was donated to the Unification Church between 2010 and 2011. After Moon proposed the project, a land contractor the IHF and other agencies purchased forests and fields in multiple areas, using funds borrowed from the Unification Church. The purchased land was later transferred to the Unification Church, as a way to repay the loan, and was eventually donated to the IHF.

An underground passage for geological surveys has already been excavated at Karatsu, and surveys and construction have started in preparation for the land-based undersea tunnel project in southwestern Japan.

The Mainichi Shimbun made on-the-spot consultations with the Unification Church and the IHF, presenting the information it had confirmed. The Unification Church replied, “Please ask the foundation.” Meanwhile, the IHF revealed that International Highway Construction Corp., its predecessor established in 1982, received a donation of around 10 billion yen (approximately $75.5 million) from the religious group and acknowledged that donations from the Church of the Unification were used in projects, including the acquisition of land. The IHF said it intends to continue with the project.

Hiroshi Hirata, a lawyer belonging to the Fukuoka Bar Association, noted, “Although various groups have been involved in the Japan-Korea tunnel project, this shows the reality that the Unification Church took the lead.” It said: “Including donations (from followers) that were recognized as illegal, investigations must verify how the large funds and contributions collected by the church were used.”