LDP to Mull Penalties under Religious Group Victim Rescue Law

Tokyo, Nov. 9 (Jiji Press)--Toshimitsu Motegi, secretary-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, on Wednesday suggested that the LDP will consider introducing criminal penalties under a proposed law aimed at helping people financially exploited by religious groups.

The LDP will also consider including in the law a clause allowing people to exercise the right to cancel donations to religious groups on behalf of family members who made the donations, according to Motegi.

In separate meetings with Motegi, his counterparts from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) called for the criminal penalties and the donation-canceling clause. In response, Motegi said the LDP will consider these proposals.

But Motegi sounded reluctant to take up a proposal to allow cancellations of donations made under a state of mind control.

Motegi also told them that the outline of the proposed law will be presented next week.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]