Japan's main opposition party has submitted a no-confidence motion against the education and culture minister, amid allegations that he received election campaign support from an affiliate of a religious group formerly known as the Unification Church.

The Constitutional Democratic Party presented the motion to the Lower House of the Diet on Monday, after holding an extraordinary executive board meeting earlier in the day.

Moriyama Masahito faces allegations that he attended a meeting of an organization related to the former Unification Church and received a letter of recommendation for his candidacy for the 2021 Lower House election.

The group is accused of soliciting large donations from its followers, and engaging in dubious sales practices.

The ministry has requested a court order for the removal of the group's religious corporation status. But the no-confidence motion says Moriyama's alleged close ties with the group would make it impossible to hold fair proceedings that would not raise doubts among the public.

It also argues that Moriyama is not qualified to be the education and culture minister as he has repeatedly made insincere remarks in Diet sessions that he has no recollection about this issue.

The motion is expected to be put to a vote at a plenary session of the Lower House on Tuesday.