The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has rejected an application to grant nonprofit organization status to the Japanese branch of China's outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement, officials said.
"There is doubt over its claim that it does not chiefly aim at religious activities," an official said Wednesday.
China, which has intensified a crackdown on Falun Gong, conveyed its anxiety to Japan after the Tokyo branch , named Japan Falun Dafa and based in Adachi Ward, applied in November to the metropolitan government for NPO status.