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Part I: Inquiry of
solicitous acts for monetary donations against the plaintiffs by the
members of the accused Unification Church. Section A: Solicitous acts for the procurement of monetary donations committed against plaintiff A. (Omitted here are the specified exhibits, testimonies and other evidence by which the court based its decisions on this case regarding plaintiff A.) Article 1: Circumstances leading up to the 30,000,000 yen monetary donation (a) On 2 August 1987, the spouse of plaintiff A died of heart disease causing plaintiff A losses of economic and psychological supports. After her husband's death, plaintiff A (hereafter PA) dissolved her deceased spouse's self employed business and began settling remaining accounts. During this period, PA and her only daughter child were experiencing emotional distress over the premature death of PA's husband. It was during this period, around February 1988, that a member of the defendant Unification Church ( hereafter UC) by the name of X (hereafter UCX) who was living in the near vicinity of PA's domicile, visited PA's domicile to express her (UCX's) condolences. At this time, UCX concealed her relationship and/or connections with the UC. On this same occasion, PA who was feeling melancholic and lonesome, spoke openly about her deceased spouse to UCX. Ergo, UCX invited PA to attend an exhibition of paintings sponsored by a said colleague of hers (UCX's). PA considered that going to see and appreciate the paintings might lift her spirits, and accepted UCX's cordial invitation. Accordingly, PA went with UCX to the exhibition which was held inside a building located behind the Hakata train terminal. However, while on the surface this exhibition was aimed for the appreciation and viewing of art paintings, it was actually designed for the ulterior purpose of selling the exhibited paintings provided by Miyabi Co., Ltd. UCX and the sales coordinator of the above exhibition accompanied PA in walking around the exhibition. In context, UCX persuaded PA to purchase paintings by frequently saying such things as "If there is a painting you like, you may buy it," and "(That painting) would look perfect in your child's room," and "I have bought (a painting) myself, so why don't you buy (one) too." Being that UCX had visited PA to offer her condolences for PA's deceased spouse, PA felt she could not refuse UCX's recommendation. Accordingly, PA decided to purchase one painting costing 220,000 yen. Upon PA's decision, UCX said to the above-mentioned sales coordinator, "Excuse me. Could you help us please" and proceeded to relay that PA had decided make a purchase. In context with making the purchase, PA completed the various required procedures such as signing a purchase agreement form and placing a cash deposit of 10,000 yen. On subsequent dates, PA paid the balance sum of 210,000 yen in three supplementary payments vis-a-vis money wire transfer to the Miyabi Co., Ltd. (b) In the period which followed PA's purchase of the painting, UCX began to visit PA's domicile on a frequent basis. During one or more of these visits, UCX invited PA to the Oasis Society1 for the purpose of watching videos. Also, on several same occasions, UCX took to PA's home various videos concerning such topics as "The Story of Tetsuro Tanba's2 Spiritual World," etc. Around the beginning of April 1988, a person by the name of Hayashida was introduced to PA by UCX. On this occasion, Hayashida told PA, "A very famous teacher called Nagayoshi whom we rarely have a chance to meet is coming and would like to meet you. Your husband is suffering in Hell. Why don't you meet the teacher and help your husband." Considering that if Nagayoshi was a teacher whom one could rarely meet, and that if this teacher knew that her husband was suffering in Hell, PA thought she might like to meet this teacher once and decided to accept the invitation. UCX and Hayashida took PA to the Minoshima Reijo (=Minoshima sacred place). Once inside the Reijo, they entered a Japanese style room with tatami (rice fiber woven mat) flooring. Here, Nagayoshi (known as Teacher Nagayoshi) was sitting and praying in front of a Maitreya statue3. After praying, Nagayoshi began trembling and crying and (in this state) said to PA, "Your husband is descending. I can see your husband's body (figure) suffering in Hell. I cannot stop myself from shaking. Your husband is saying he wants you to donate 5,000,000 yen." Nagayoshi then went on to canvass PA to donate the sum of 5,000,000 yen. At this point, PA was overcome with fear and surprise at Nagayoshi's realistic countenance. Being placed in the midst of this dramatic situation and recently having been shown videos concerning the spiritual world, PA began to think that Nagayoshi could actually see her deceased husband's body (figure) suffering in Hell. Yet, at the same time, PA considered that she could not fulfill such a sudden donation request for such an exorbitant amount of money, and thus, PA declined the demand. Upon PA's refusal, Nagayoshi got up from her seat, left the room, went into another room and returned to further persuade PA to make the donation. In seeing that PA was still irresolute (in affirming that she would donate the money), Nagayoshi again got up from her seat, went into another room, and returned again to further persuade and encourage PA to make the donation. This same act of entering and leaving the room along with the above types of verbal persuasion was repeated several times. Throughout this entire time, UCX and Hayashida were sitting very close to and on either side of PA. UCX and Hayashida kept telling PA, "Hang in there. Don't give up. Just believe," and similar words to encourage PA to make the donation as Nagayoshi had requested. As a result of the above, PA felt afraid, threatened, and unable to go on refusing the donation due to the extremely persistent requests. As a result, PA finally consented to the making the donation. However, after returning home, PA regretted that she had consented to make the above donation and could not rid herself of these feelings. Ergo, PA phoned UCX to decline the donation. When PA expressed her unwillingness to donate the money, UCX retorted saying among other things, "If you delay your answer, your husband's body (figure) suffering in Hell will appear to you in your dreams. You had better decide soon. If you don't decide by tomorrow, things will be difficult for you." Hence, because UCX not only did not listen to PA's grievances but further continued to encourage PA to make the donation, PA could not decline the donation. Consequently, on the following day, PA went with Hayashida to the Fukuoka Sogo Bank, Ijiri Branch and withdrew a sum of 5,000,000 yen. Upon the withdrawal, Hayashida explained to PA that when a bank client withdraws a sum of 5,000,000 yen or more, the bank usually carries out a search of inquiry to determine how the money is used. In precaution of this event, UCX instructed PA to answer such inquiries in advance and to explain that the withdrawal will be used to make a lump sum payment for an insurance policy issued by a door-to-door salesman. Ensuingly, PA took the 5,000,000 yen withdrawal to the Minoshima Reijo where she placed the money as an offering in front of the Maitreya Statue. At this time, however, PA was not informed as to the actual recipient of the 5,000,000 yen donation. Further, although PA requested a receipt for the above donation, PA never received or was issued such a document. It should be mentioned here that it was around the very time of the above incident that PA's deceased husband's life insurance payment, the sum of 45,000,000 yen, was transferred to PA's personal bank account. (c) Around the end of April 1988, UCX introduced PA to another member of the UC. Upon their meeting, this said person (hereafter UCY) told PA personal stories of her life such as the tale of her (UCY's) husband's premature death (-although the verity of UCY's stories remains unconfirmed). Also at this time, UCY told PA (among other things)," There's a great teacher who would really like to meet you. It is rare that people have a chance to meet this teacher face to face. You are so lucky." UCY then took PA to the Kasugabara Dojo4 where PA was shown a video and given a lecture about the "End of the 20th Century" by Hiroki Eto ( a person called "teacher" and member of the UC). Several days after this incident, PA went with UCY to the Kasugabara Dojo. Here, a woman who went by the name of "teacher" displayed to PA three items: a Tahoto5, a Maitreya statue and a statue of Buddha. Upon showing these items to PA, the woman asked PA, "Which one are you most attracted to (strikes your fancy)?" When PA reacted by pointing to the Maitreya statue, the woman told PA "Well then, you shall acquire the Maitreya statue." UCY (who was sitting next to PA) said to PA, "If you believe you will absolutely be happy. Now, because there are three parts in the one body (holy trinity), you shall also take two pairs of rosary beads." Thus, PA was being recommended to purchase in addition to the Maitreya Statue, two pairs of rosary beads as well. Then UCY told PA "The number 12 is a good number for you, so in order to make (your total donation) 12,000,000 yen, let's make the cost (of these items) 7,000,000 yen." Thus, by taking the aforesaid donation of 5,000,000 yen and adding it to the above-mentioned merchandise costs to make a total of 12,000,000 yen, PA was requested a disembursement of 7,000,000 yen. However, PA expressed hesitancy to make such a purchase. Nevertheless, PA was strongly urged to do so by the above said "teacher" who kept impressing PA with the idea that her deceased husband was suffering in Hell. As a result, PA consented to the above purchase. Upon doing so, PA was shown the rosary beads and Maitreya statue by the manager of Seiundo Co., Ltd. (the distributing company of the purchased items). Successively, PA went with UCY to the Kyushyu Sogo Bank, Ijiri Branch, where she (PA) withdrew a sum of 7,000,000 yen which she then took to and presented as an offering at the Buddhist altar of the Kasugabara Dojo. However, while PA had believed (all along) the above 7,000,000 yen to be the total purchasing cost of the Maitreya Statue and the rosary beads, only after PA received the purchase slip (with a marked invoice indicating the actual pur-chasing costs), did PA realize the cost of the purchased items to be 5,130,000 yen and the remaining sum of 1,870,000 yen to be a donation to "Tenchi Seikyou6." (d) Pursuant to the above events, UCX frequently visited the domicile of PA to show her (PA) videos and to take PA to the Oasis Society and so forth. Then, in May 1988, UCX requested to see PA's signature (stamp) seal7 which she (PA) was currently using. PA complied with UCX's request. UCX then examined seal. Upon doing so, UCX recommended that PA purchase a new seal by saying (among other things), "The design of this seal8 is inauspicious. The length is too short as well. You had better buy a new seal." Several days later, UCX took a young woman who was a signature seal salesperson to meet PA at her (PA's) domicile. From this woman, PA purchased a set of three seals - two for herself and one for her daughter. In compliment, PA also received an official-looking (but legally unofficial) certificate of appraisal which was marked with the name (of sales agent) "Toyo Inso Kyokai9, Amamoto Myoko." |
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