The government plans to launch a cross-ministerial panel on spiritual sales, a dubious marketing practice employed by the religious group previously known as the Unification Church.

Justice Minister Hanashi Yasuhiro said on Monday that officials from the ministry, the National Police Agency, the Consumer Affairs Agency and other government organizations will make up the panel.

Hanashi said the first meeting will be held on Thursday to discuss ways to support victims of the practice.

He said various government offices are getting inquiries about spiritual sales and a plan should be created swiftly to help the victims.

He added that officials will share information to get an understanding of the situation.

After he assumed the post in the Cabinet reshuffle last week, Hanashi insisted that he has no connection to the group, now called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

But he disclosed on Monday that he was interviewed for a magazine linked to the group sometime around 2008.

He said he was pursuing a scandal at the Social Insurance Agency at that time, and wanted the problem to be reported by as many media outlets as possible.

The minister said he didn't know the ties between the magazine and the group, and reiterated that he has no relations with the church.