The former Unification Church, officially known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, has informed that approximately 500 out of 1,200 'regular employees' are to take early retirement as part of a financial restructuring strategy. This move comes ahead of a crucial Tokyo High Court decision regarding a potential dissolution order of the organization. The church is currently preparing to pay a severance package that includes bonuses for early retirement, which amounts to several billion yen in total.

According to church insiders, the decision to reduce staff was made early in the year due to persistent financial deficits. In total, they reached out to employees aged over 50, offering early retirement options to around 500 people. This organizational restructuring has resulted in a merger of approximately 280 church locations down to around 170, aiming to streamline operations and address the staffing surplus created by the retirees. The church indicates that they have allocated up to 22 months' worth of salary in severance packages to incentivize these early retirements.

A church executive noted the urgency of these payments, mentioning concerns that if the organization were to dissolve, public understanding for supplementary severance payments might not be well-received. The main reason behind the church's financial troubles is attributed to a drastic decrease in donations from its followers, compounded by suspensions of remittances to South Korea, which have further strained its financial resources, leaving the future of the organization uncertain.