Japan's Lower House of the Diet has voted down a no-confidence motion against the minister of education, culture, sports, science and technology.

Moriyama Masahito has been accused of receiving election support from a controversial religious group, previously known as the Unification Church.

The group allegedly solicited large donations from its followers and engaged in dubious sales practices. The education ministry is seeking a court order to dissolve it as a religious corporation.

Recent media reports say Moriyama received a letter of recommendation and campaign support from an organization linked to the group during the 2021 Lower House election.

Japan's largest opposition party submitted the no-confidence motion.

Kikuta Makiko of the Constitutional Democratic Party said Moriyama "is trying to hold on to his ministerial post while hiding his relationship with the former Unification Church. Someone like that is definitely not qualified to be an education minister."

Moriyama belongs to the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party, known as the LDP, which argued against the motion.

LDP member Ide Yosei said, "Moriyama was appointed minister after severing all ties with the group. He should continue to lead efforts to address the issues surrounding the group."

One of the opposition parties also defended Moriyama. The Nippon Ishin Japan Innovation Party's Kanemura Ryuna noted that Moriyama requested a court order to dissolve the group. "At this point, there are no serious faults in his attitude toward his duties that would deserve no-confidence," Kanemura said.

The motion was rejected with the majority of votes from the LDP, its coalition partner Komeito and the Japan Innovation Party.

Moriyama said after the vote that he would "continue to handle the matter in a calm and steady manner."

The group would lose its tax-exempt status if the court orders it to dissolve, but it would still be allowed to conduct religious activities.