A Japanese court upheld an order to dissolve the Unification Church over its controversial fundraising practices, clearing the way for liquidation proceedings against the religious group years after the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe brought its activities under renewed scrutiny. According to public broadcaster NHK, the Tokyo High Court on Tuesday upheld a lower court decision ordering the dissolution of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, more widely known as the Unification Church. The court said the group had encouraged its followers to solicit large donations through fundraising methods that could constitute illegal acts, causing substantial financial losses and psychological distress to many people. Judges said it was difficult to expect the organization to establish measures to prevent such illegal acts, adding that dissolution was therefore inevitable. NHK reported that the ruling marks the third instance a Japanese court ordered the dissolution of a religious group of its legal status as a religious corporation, and first time such