旧統一教会、過料請求に反論書面　質問権行使は「違法」

　世界平和統一家庭連合（旧統一教会）に対する文部科学省の質問権行使を巡り、旧統一教会は６日、「質問権の行使自体が違法だ」などとして、回答拒否に対する過料を科さないよう求める陳述書を東京地裁に送付したと発表した。
　文科省は昨年１１月以降、計７回にわたり質問権を行使。旧統一教会が一部回答を拒んだとして地裁に通知し、地裁が教団に意見を求めていた。今後、陳述書の内容も踏まえて裁判官が過料を科すか判断する。
　陳述書では、宗教法人法上の解散命令の要件となっている「法令違反」は、刑罰法令の違反に限られ、民法上の不法行為は含まれないと主張。これを前提とした質問権行使も違法だと述べた。（2023/10/06-15:44）

The religious group known as the Unification Church said Friday that it has sent a statement to Tokyo District Court asking it not to impose a fine for the group's refusal to answer questions by the Japanese culture ministry.
   The religious organization, officially called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, argued that the ministry's exercise of the right to question and seek answers from it was illegal.
   The ministry has exercised the right on seven occasions since last November. It notified the court of the Unification Church's refusal to answer some of the questions, and the court sought opinions on the matter from the group.
   A court judge will decide whether to impose a civil fine after examining the statement.
   In the statement, the Unification Church argued that the "violation of laws and regulations" that justifies a dissolution order under the religious corporations law is limited to violations of criminal laws and regulations and does not include illegal acts under the Civil Code.