International Coalition for Religious
Freedom
Field Report
The Kidnap Ministry: Japan’s Hidden Crime Against Religious
Liberty
Appendix B
Human Rights Violation by Japanese Government
"On May 10, 1996... Mizuho Sasaki (b.1970) was kidnapped from Sapporo Drivers License Center... When the
kidnappers tried to carry the victim out of the room, she clung to the door and refused to go crying, ‘Help me!’
Although several policemen witnessed this abduction, they ignored her cries and did not help her. When one UC-J
staff member, Nakamura, tried to help the victim, the policemen physically restrained him... She escaped from the
prison on June 29, 1996."
-Masaki Fujii, lawyer
letter to Sumio Takei, Chief of Hokkaido Police
sent Registered Mail
July 11, 1996
"After I escaped my prison... I appealed to Detective Tadaharu Toyokura , ‘Am not I guaranteed religious freedom?
Don’t my human rights exist?’ and pleaded repeatedly, ‘Protect me from my parents because they will confine me
again…’ but the Police ignored my plea and refused to protect my rights.
Though I cried ‘I don’t want to go!’ they forced me into a police car and delivered me to my parents. As a result
I was confined again. "
-Akemi Suzuki, (b. 1972)
Kidnapping Victim (10/22/97-11/8/97)
Resistered letter to the Chief of Fukagawa Police
December 4, 1997
‘In July of 1997, a policeman summoned my father. My father drove to the Totorri Police Station, where he was
questioned and released. He was not arrested. When he came back to my prison, he said, "No, problem."
I expected the police would come quickly and rescue me, but they never came. Instead I had to endure one more
year of confinement.’
-Hiroko Tomizawa (b. 1970)
Kidnapping Victim (6/7/97-9/15/98)
Testimony for Totorri District Court
April 1, 1999
Return to Report