POLICE MAY QUESTION PAMELA LING'S CHILDREN, OTHERS IN SINGAPORE OVER HER DISAPPEARANCE - KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA

POLICE MAY QUESTION PAMELA LING'S CHILDREN, OTHERS IN SINGAPORE OVER HER DISAPPEARANCE - KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

KUALA LUMPUR (May 8, 2025): Authorities investigating the disappearance of Datin Seri Pamela Ling Yueh said today that persons of interest, including Ling’s three children and others residing in Singapore, could be called to give their statements for investigation purposes.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa said there are existing avenues available to facilitate this if necessary.

“We can either ask them to come to Kuala Lumpur or Johor Bahru to record their statements.

“We can also do so at the Malaysian High Commission,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Contingent Headquarters here.

Rusdi confirmed that the number of individuals whose statements have been recorded remains unchanged at 16.

He also said he has instructed investigators to examine the circumstances surrounding the ongoing divorce proceedings between Ling and her spouse, and to determine if any connections could be established.

Both Ling and her husband, Datuk Seri Thomas Hah Tiing Siu, have been under investigation for corruption and money laundering offences since May 2024.

On April 9, Ling, an investigation witness, was en route to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters to have her statement recorded when her e-hailing ride was intercepted by unidentified persons in several vehicles.

An eyewitness account from the e-hailing driver claimed that the vehicle Ling was travelling in was stopped by uniformed individuals.

She subsequently failed to appear, prompting her lawyer to file a police report regarding her disappearance on the same day.

No ransom demand has been made in connection with her disappearance to date. 

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/08/biles-dazzles-in-paris-olympics-debut.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/the-flag-symbol-of-national-pride-and.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/09/first-gold-malaysia-in-paris-2024-liek.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/sarawak-pay-and-go-expands-to-singapore.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

INFLATION, HOTEL PRICES CURTAIL GOLDEN WEEK TRAVEL - TOKYO JAPAN

INFLATION, HOTEL PRICES CURTAIL GOLDEN WEEK TRAVEL - TOKYO JAPAN

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

Japan's annual Golden Week holiday period gets into full swing Saturday, but inflation and hotel prices sent soaring by record inbound tourism have left domestic travelers less eager to pack their bags.

Traditionally, Golden Week -- which includes three consecutive public holidays -- gives Japanese workers one of their longest breaks in the year, with many taking the opportunity to see other parts of Japan or to travel abroad.

But this year consumers in the world's fourth-largest economy are feeling the pain of rising prices for everything from cabbage and rice to electricity bills.

The Japanese yen has lost around a third of its value since 2022, one factor behind the record number of foreign tourists also lured by the country's numerous attractions from Mount Fuji's majestic slopes to shrines and sushi bars.

The inflow of tourists has sent demand for hotel bookings spiraling upward, with the room rate in Japan's five major cities around 16 percent more expensive at the onset of this year's Golden Week than last year, according to a survey from the business daily Nikkei.

All this has translated into a tepid desire among Japanese residents to travel for this year's Golden Week, surveys have shown. The latter part of the holiday period began Saturday and lasts until Tuesday.

"The biggest reason seems to be the inflation that has curtailed their willingness to spend lavishly", Atsushi Tanaka, a tourism studies professor at Yamanashi University, told AFP.

"Because the inbound tourism is booming so much, hotel operators don't need to lower their accommodation prices, which is making it harder for Japanese people to travel," Tanaka added.

A poll by major travel agency JTB showed last month that 20.9 percent of its respondents will or "probably" will go on a trip during Golden Week, down 5.6 percent from last year.

Another survey by marketing research firm Intage similarly found last month that the percentage of those planning to travel domestically during the holiday period dipped by two percent from a year earlier to 13.6 percent.

While factors like a desire to avoid crowds are also at play, "the tendency to refrain from going out due to financial burdens" seems to be growing, Intage said.

When it comes to traveling abroad, that is verging on being an "unattainable luxury", it said.

The same study, however, showed the average budget for Golden Week outings this year has edged up to $201 from $192, underscoring holidaymakers' acceptance of the status quo.

"It shows they are resigned to the fact that it just costs them more this year to do anything," Intage's Motohiro Shimogawara told AFP.

Japan logged more than 36.8 million tourist arrivals in 2024, topping 2019's record of nearly 32 million.

The government has set an ambitious target of almost doubling tourist numbers to 60 million annually by 2030.

But as in other global tourist magnets like Venice in Italy, there has been growing pushback from residents against overtourism.

Residents and authorities in Japanese tourist hotspots, from tradition-steeped Kyoto to towns near the majestic Mount Fuji, are increasingly voicing frustration about overcrowding, traffic violations and bad behavior by some visitors, both Japanese and foreign.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/10/tokyos-shibuya-shinjuku-join-hands-to.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/01/return-home-u-turn-rush-begins-after.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/01/influenza-cases-soar-in-tokyo-japan.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/01/japan-braces-for-heavy-snow-with.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

NUMBER OF FOREIGN STUDENTS IN JAPAN HITS RECORD HIGH; ONE COUNTRY FOR OVER 35% - TOKYO JAPAN

NUMBER OF FOREIGN STUDENTS IN JAPAN HITS RECORD HIGH; ONE COUNTRY FOR OVER 35% - TOKYO JAPAN 

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

Japan is in the middle of a huge inbound tourism surge, but not everyone from overseas who’s getting off a plane at Haneda, Kansai, or one of the country’s other international airports is here for sightseeing. Some of them are here for academics, and a recent study shows that Japan has hit a record-high number of foreign students in the country.

The Japan Student Services Organization, which assists both foreign students wishing to study in Japan as well as Japanese students looking to study abroad, has just released the results of its most recently completed Study on the Enrollment Status of Foreign Students, which examines data collected in 2024.

According to the study, as of May 1, 2024, Japan had 336,708 foreign students studying in the country at the post-high school level. This is a huge increase, 20.6 percent, from the preceding year, and the largest number of foreign students for Japan since the current classification of foreign students, which includes students at language schools, was adopted in 2011. It’s also more than double the number of foreign students in Japan since such statistics began being collected in 1983.

Of those 336,708 students, the largest portion, 107,241, are attending classes in Japan at schools teaching the Japanese language to non-native learners, an 18.2 percent increase from the year before. University students account for 87,421 people (up 8.8 percent) and graduate program students 58,215 people (up 4.8 percent). The largest proportional increases came from the 76,402 foreign students at specialized schools focused on specific trades or industries (up 64,9 percent) and the 3,265 foreign students at junior colleges (up 67 percent).

As for where these students are hailing from, the top five countries of origin are all in Asia, with China’s 123,486 people making up more than a third of the international student body in Japan. The number of students in Japan from the top four countries all increased compared to the previous year, while the number from Korea dropped by 367.

● Number of foreign students in Japan by home country

1. China: 123,485 (36.7 percent of total)
2. Nepal: 64,816 (19.2 percent)
3. Vietnam: 40,323 (12 percent)
4. Myanmar: 16,596 (4.9 percent)
5. Korea: 14,579 (4.9 percent)

Among English-speaking countries, the largest contingent came from the U.S.A., which ranked 11th overall, followed by the U.K., Canada, and Australia.

1. U.S.A.: 3,918 students (1.2 percent of total)
2. U.K.: 953 (0.3 percent)
3. Canada: 598 (0.2 percent)
4. Australia: 472 (0.1 percent)

So what’s causing the foreign student population boom in Japan? A number of factors. For starters, just like the weak yen is making Japan an invitingly affordable vacation destination, it’s also making it an attractive country for those with overseas savings or parental support to get a quality education at a manageable price, especially once living expenses are factored in. Several universities and trade schools in Japan have begun actively courting foreign students for enrollment, and Japanese companies have become more open to hiring non-Japanese staff, making starting in language school to build a foundation of communication skills, progressing to university/trade school, and then becoming a working adult in Japan a viable academic and career path. And with many Japanese companies making renewed pushes to establish their presence overseas, even foreign students who return to their home countries can benefit from having studied in Japan and being able to communicate regarding topics in their professional field.

Those factors may or may not end up being permanent, but they’re unlikely to change anytime in the very near future, so odds are that record number of 336,708 foreign students in Japan will be broken again when the Japan Student Services Organization does its tally for next year’s report.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ HERE<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/10/over-200-foreign-minors-special.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/universal-of-tokyo-to-open-new.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2024/12/japan-reaches-its-lowest-ever-ranking.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/02/governor-tokyo-wants-to-start-study.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

JAPAN'S FY2023 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS HIT RECORD LOW FOR SECOND YEAR - TOKYO JAPAN

JAPAN'S FY2023 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS HIT RECORD LOW FOR SECOND YEAR - TOKYO JAPAN 

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

Japan's greenhouse gas emissions fell to a record low in fiscal 2023 for the second straight year on the back of reduced manufacturing activity and a greater share for renewable and nuclear energy in power generation, the government said.

National emissions in the year through March 2024 totaled 1.07 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, down 4 percent from fiscal 2022 and marking the lowest level since comparable data became available in fiscal 1990.

The decline was mainly attributable to renewable and nuclear energy accounting for over 30 percent of Japan's power generation and lower energy consumption and industrial production, Environment Ministry officials said.

Japan has set a goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 by subtracting CO2 absorption by forests, aiming to reduce emissions by 60 percent in fiscal 2035 and 73 percent in fiscal 2040, compared with fiscal 2013.

Emissions in fiscal 2023 marked a 27.1 percent drop from fiscal 2013, with officials saying the country is on track to achieve the goal.

In fiscal 2023, emissions fell 4.0 percent from fiscal 2022 in the manufacturing sector, while household emissions were down 6.8 percent, likely due to a warmer winter.

"Emission reduction is on the right track but only halfway through," Environment Minister Keiichiro Asao said in a press conference, stressing the need for continued efforts by both the public and the private sectors.

The ministry reported the emission data to the secretariat of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/japanese-salmon-catches-plummet-in.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/spacex-launches-new-crew-to-space.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/11-elderly-residents-at-toyama-nursing.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/sakura-science-program-in-japan-2025.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

3 KILLED IN EXPRESSWAY ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY DRIVER TRAVELLING WRONG AY - UTSUNOMIYA JAPAN

3 KILLED IN EXPRESSWAY ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY DRIVER TRAVELLING WRONG AY - UTSUNOMIYA JAPAN 

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

UTSUNOMIYA

Three people died and 10 others were injured, two seriously, after a vehicle collision Saturday night caused by a driver traveling the wrong way down an eastern Japan expressway, police said.

Two drivers including the man held responsible died in the collision and a third was killed when a truck slammed into traffic that had backed up after the first incident.

Police are investigating why the 42-year-old man was driving in the opposite direction on the Tohoku Expressway in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture.

He was involved in a minor collision with another vehicle before continuing for over 2 kilometers and colliding head-on with a 56-year-old man's vehicle around 10 p.m. Saturday, police said.

Police confirmed Sunday that both men had died. Two more vehicles were caught in the accident, causing a traffic jam that led to a rear-end collision involving a truck over a kilometer from the original crash site.

A woman, 60, in a car struck by the truck, also died in the second accident that involved six vehicles. Police said they have arrested the 54-year-old truck driver on suspicion of negligent driving resulting in death and injury.

The accidents led to temporary closures between the Nasu and Kuroisoitamuro exits on the expressway, which runs between Saitama and Aomori prefectures.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/01/nine-hospitalized-in-tokyo-japan-after.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/temple-burned-unesco-village-evacuated.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/japan-powerboat-racing-revs-up-bid-to.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/court-rejects-suit-requesting-halt-of.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

JAPAN RANKS WORST AMONG G7 IN YEAR 2025 WORLD PRESS FREEDOM RANKINGS - PARIS

JAPAN RANKS WORST AMONG G7 IN YEAR 2025 WORLD PRESS FREEDOM RANKINGS - PARIS 

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

PARIS

Japan trailed other members of the Group of Seven countries in the 2025 world press freedom rankings as government pressure on news outlets has become common practice, a media freedom group said Friday.

Of the 180 countries and regions surveyed, Japan moved up four places from last year to 66th. The United States, where Donald Trump was reelected as president, fell two spots to 57th, the second-worst ranking among the G7.

Media freedom is "generally respected" in Japan, but "traditional and business interests, political pressure and gender inequalities often prevent journalists from completely fulfilling their role as watchdogs," Reporters Without Borders said.

As in the previous year, the organization criticized Japan's "press club" system, which it says only grants key media outlets access to news conferences and senior officials, encouraging self-censorship and discriminating against foreign journalists.

Regarding the United States, the organization said, "The country is experiencing its first significant and prolonged decline in press freedom in modern history, and Donald Trump's return to the presidency is greatly exacerbating the situation."

Norway topped the list for the ninth consecutive year, with Ukraine ranked 62nd, Russia 171st, China 178th, North Korea 179th and Eritrea in last place.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/05/osaka-expo-draws-119000-visitors-on.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/japan-ruling-parties-mull-utility.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/the-flag-symbol-of-national-pride-and.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/things-and-what-you-must-know-whispers.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

'FLYING CAR' DEMOS AT OSAKA EXPO HALTED AFTER PART FALLS OFF IN MID-FLIGHT - OSAKA JAPAN

'FLYING CAR' DEMOS AT OSAKA EXPO HALTED AFTER PART FALLS OFF IN MID-FLIGHT - OSAKA JAPAN 

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

OSAKA

Demonstrations of one of the "flying cars" at the World Exposition in Osaka have been suspended for safety checks after a part fell from a vehicle mid-flight but with no injuries reported, the event's organizing body said Sunday.

With other flying vehicle operators yet to finalize their schedules for public showcases at the six-month event, demonstration flights at the expo will be suspended until their safety is confirmed.

According to the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, on Saturday afternoon a part of a motor propeller fell mid-flight from a Hexa single-seater electrical vertical take-off and landing vehicle developed by U.S. firm Lift Aircraft Inc. and operated by Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp.

The aircraft was flying above the expo's takeoff and landing area and landed safely. An investigation into the cause is ongoing.

Four operators initially aimed for commercial flying taxi to provide access to the event's venue on Yumeshima, an artificial island in Osaka Bay. But all the operators later gave up on carrying passengers in their electric aircraft due to safety challenges.

The Osaka expo opened to the public on April 13 and will run through Oct. 13.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/01/visitors-to-2025-osaka-japan-expo-to.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/traveler-at-kansai-international.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/01/south-africa-and-iran-2-others-withdraw.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/frances-popular-culture-festival-to-be.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

'PARK' IN CENTRAL JAPAN RECOGNIZED BY GUNNINESS AS WORLD'S SMALLEST - SHIZUOKA - JAPAN

'PARK' IN CENTRAL JAPAN RECOGNIZED BY GUNNINESS AS WORLD'S SMALLEST - SHIZUOKA - JAPAN

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

SHIZUOKA

A "pocket park" in the central Japan prefecture of Shizuoka has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's smallest, measuring only 0.24 square meter with space for just one person to sit on a wooden seat on a rock.

Located in a corner of a residential area in the town of Nagaizumi, the park consists of small square raised bricks, small plants next to the stool and two stone monuments including one with a carving of the town's symbolic flower.

The park had been dubbed by locals as the "world's smallest park" and cherished as a resting space for more than 30 years, before it was officially recognized by Guinness in December.

Approximately 300 meters away from the town hall, the park was built in 1988 using land left over from road construction work.

A former official of the town proposed the idea of creating the tiny park after being inspired by Mill Ends Park in Oregon, the previous record-holder with an area of 0.29 square meter.

With local support, the town decided to challenge the world record in 2023. For expenses related to registering for the Guinness World Records, the town secured about 2.5 million yen, through its budget, online fundraising and private sector donations.

The town then hired a surveyor to measure the land and submitted a certificate that proved the park had existed for over five years. The space was also recategorized from being a part of a road to a park.

Since earning Guinness recognition, the park has become a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors from outside Shizuoka.

"We hope this park will serve as an opportunity to promote our town," said Shuji Koyama of the town's construction management division.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/selling-141796-tons-of-reserve-rice-in.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/from-music-to-mastery-myanmar-students.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/group-citizens-files-complaint-against.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/snowfall-hits-tokyo-kanto-koshin-region.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

NORTH KOREA DENOUNCES UNITED STATES, JAPAN'S PLEDGE TO CO-PRODUCE MISSILES ON HEGSETH VISIT - SEOUL NORTH KOREA

NORTH KOREA DENOUNCES UNITED STATES, JAPAN'S PLEDGE TO CO-PRODUCE MISSILES ON HEGSETH VISIT - SEOUL NORTH KOREA

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

SEOUL

North Korea criticized a recent agreement by Japan and the United States on co-producing air-to-air missiles as aggravating regional security risks and another example of Washington's push to militarize Japan, state media said on Wednesday.

At a time the United States is upgrading its military command in Japan, the two countries' cooperation in munitions production clearly has military and aggressive intentions aimed at countries in the region, KCNA state news agency said.

The comments were attributed to an unnamed vice general director of the North's defense ministry and did not name specific countries.

But the official referred to the AIM-120 air-to-air missile system that the United States and Japan have agreed to accelerate co-producing during U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's visit to Tokyo on Sunday.

Advancing the deployment of such a weapon used by aircraft involved in frequent military drills in the region that already pose a grave security threat adds a "new element of strategic instability to the Asia-Pacific region," the official said.

"Certainly, the centre of gravity of the U.S. hegemony-oriented military security strategy is changing and it is a new warning signal for the Asia-Pacific regional society including the countries in Northeast Asia," the official said.

The agreement comes as "the U.S. has connived at and encouraged Japan's moves for a military giant since last century," the official said.

In Tokyo, Hegseth and his Japanese counterpart agreed to accelerate a plan to jointly produce beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and to consider co-producing other surface-to-air missiles.

Hegseth stressed the importance of Japan's role in deterring China including Beijing's threat across the Taiwan Strait, calling it a "cornerstone" of security in the region.

Such a positive recognition of Japan by Hegseth was in contrast with his criticism against European allies and U.S. President Donald Trump's complaint that Tokyo has not done enough to support the presence of U.S. military in the country.

It is a priority for North Korea to counter growing instability by bolstering its military deterrence, the Defense Ministry official said, without elaborating.

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/court-rejects-suit-requesting-halt-of.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/japan-court-orders-moonies-church-be.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/japan-powerboat-racing-revs-up-bid-to.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/temple-burned-unesco-village-evacuated.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

COURT ORDERS JETSTAR JAPAN TO PAY DAMAGES, GRANT REST BREAKS TO CREW - TOKYO JAPAN

COURT ORDERS JETSTAR JAPAN TO PAY DAMAGES, GRANT REST BREAKS TO CREW - TOKYO JAPAN

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

TOKYO

A Japanese court on Tuesday ordered a low-cost airline pay damages and grant its cabin crew breaks during flights in a lawsuit brought against the company claiming the lack of mandated rest while on duty violated the country's labor laws.

The Tokyo District Court ordered Jetstar Japan Co to pay 110,000 yen to each of the 35 plaintiffs, noting that there is a "high level of psychological and physical stress" during flights.

The case centered on whether a rule that allows exceptions to mandatory breaks -- such as for long-haul services or when work includes time that effectively serves as a break -- applied in this instance.

"The crew's health and dignity need to be protected for safe flights," the plaintiffs said in a statement after the ruling.

Jetstar Japan expressed regret at the decision and filed an appeal later in the day.

During the trial, the airline had claimed the flight attendants' work conditions did not require specified break periods, saying that they could take so-called crew rests in designated areas after providing in-flight services.

But Presiding Judge Yasumori Takase said crew rests did not count as breaks as they would still be required to attend to passengers and medical emergencies, ensure flight safety and clean the cabin and therefore the circumstances could not be recognized as "low in stress."

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/01/marks-one-year-since-fatal-collision-at.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/02/united-states-finds-live-beetles-hidden.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/02/tire-of-landing-gear-japan-airlines.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/02/japans-imperial-family-gets-19-million.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

"HAPPINESS, LOVE'S AT MOONIE MASS WEDDING AFTER JAPANESE COURT BLOW" - GAPYEONG, SOUTH KOREA

"HAPPINESS, LOVE'S AT MOONIE MASS WEDDING AFTER JAPANESE COURT BLOW" - GAPYEONG, SOUTH KOREA

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

GAPYEONG, South Korea

They've been called a cult, accused of coercive fundraising, and legally disbanded in Japan. But in a mountainous town nestled in South Korea, thousands of "Moonies" gathered this month for a mass wedding.

Around 1,300 couples from dozens of countries tied the knot at the Unification Church’s sprawling headquarters in Gapyeong, north of Seoul, under the supervision of their controversial leader, known as the "holy mother".

The spectacular tradition, which dates back to the first so-called "blessing ceremony" featuring 36 couples in 1961, is an integral part of the broadly neo-Christian beliefs held by the church, founded by Moon Sun-myung and now run by his widow, Han Hak-ja.

The church claims these mass weddings can help reverse South Korea's woeful birthrate, improve family values, and ultimately bring about Moon's goal of completing the unfulfilled mission of Jesus Christ to restore humanity to a state of "sinless" purity.

"I'm just really grateful," American Emmanuel Muyongo, 29, told AFP at the ceremony, where he married his Japanese wife, whom he met years ago and grew close to at a church in the United States.

Muyongo's own parents married at a mass wedding, and he said that he was honored "to experience what my parents' experienced".

"We love you, Holy Mother Han!" the couples shouted in unison at one point during the event, which featured blaring fanfare and confetti cannons.

Han, 82, looked almost eerily calm throughout the festivities, once slowly waving at her excited followers while wearing sunglasses and a green dress.

The church, which was founded in 1954, claims to have around three million followers globally -- including 300,000 in South Korea, 600,000 in Japan -- and oversees a sprawling business empire encompassing construction, tourism, education and media, among others.

But in Japan, the church has been accused of coercive fundraising, especially after the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, allegedly carried out by a man who harbored resentment toward the sect.

A court there revoked its legal status as an organization last month, although its members can continue to meet.

Abe's accused killer blamed the church for his family's financial ruin, after his mother made huge donations. Abe -- along with other world leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump -- had sent video messages to events linked to the church.

But at the mass wedding this month, followers were unfazed by the recent legal blow, with the visibly emotional couples -- including Japanese -- radiating joy and gratitude to Han.

After Moon's 2012 death, Han stepped up to lead the church and is now referred to by members as god's "only begotten daughter" and the "holy mother".

The church has links to everything from a major South Korean newspaper to a high-end ski resort used for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. It is also affiliated with esteemed art institutes.

In 1991, Han joined her late husband -- revered by followers as a messiah but dismissed by critics as a charlatan -- on his trip to North Korea to meet with its founder, Kim Il Sung, to discuss the reunification of the divided peninsula.

When her husband died, North Korea's current leader Kim Jong Un sent a personal message of condolence. He later presented her with a pair of North Korean Pungsan dogs, a token of his goodwill.

This week, South Korean media alleged that the church had bribed former first lady Kim Keon Hee -- whose husband, Yoon Suk Yeol, was recently ousted over his declaration of martial law -- with a diamond necklace worth around $41,970.

The church has appealed the Japanese court's decision.

Experts say that Japan, Korea's former colonial ruler, has long been a financial hub for the sect.

"Usually, religious businesses like Unification Church target isolated lower-middle class individuals," Vladimir Tikhonov, Korean Studies professor at the University of Oslo, told AFP.

"Their main 'hunting ground' is not South Korea, it is actually Japan," he added.

Since the 1960s, the church is believed to have generated as much as 80 percent of its global revenues from Japan, according to Levi McLaughlin, a religious studies professor at North Carolina State University.

During Japan's 1980s bubble economy, its branch reportedly sent up to 10 billion yen ($70 million) per month to the South Korean headquarters.

Japanese followers are told to "atone" for the country's colonial past, and McLaughlin told AFP the mass weddings have been framed as a form of "indemnity".

The church plays a role in match-making couples, experts say, with Japanese women often matched with non-Japanese men -- and critics slam the cult-like cutting of family ties that sometimes results.

But this month in Gapyeong, more than 1,000 couples -- each bride in near-identical white gowns and modest tiaras -- wiped away tears, held hands tightly, and swayed to music as they danced and took selfies.

The couples "started from happiness and love, but it seems that those who don't understand it well are misinterpreting it and only seeing the negative aspects", Remi Kosuga, 27, one of the brides, told AFP. "We simply want to believe in and learn about love. ... I hope people can see that."

>>>MORE ARTICLE JUST CLICK AND READ<<<

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/rohingya-woman-helping-community.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/sarawak-pay-and-go-expands-to-singapore.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/03/108-years-old-japanese-woman-recognized.html

https://www.jacknjillscute.com/2025/04/repainted-gigantor-unveiled-in-kobe.html

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel