Research Documents on Faith-breaking in Japan
We therefore appeal to the leaders of the United States and the international human rights community to support the campaign for justice. A clear signal must be sent to those who perpetrate these crimes that their behavior will not be tolerated. Japan must adhere to international human-rights standards and live up to its own constitution, which affirms a commitment to protect religious freedom. We invite all concerned citizens and residents of the United States to join us in our petition urging the government to assist in ending these aggregious practices.
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The Case of Mr . Goto
- Toru Goto’s Appeal HSA-UWC Japan’s Appeal Toru Goto’s Profile Toru Goto’s Testimony at NGO
Toru Goto's Statement to the Tokyo District Court
Documents on Faith-breaking in Japan
- Fact Sheet on Forced Conversion in Japan Pamphlet: Kidnapping, Confinement, and Forced Conversion Pamphlet: Kidnapping, Confinement, and Forced Conversion (body) - The Kidnap Ministry by Andrew Colin Davies - Thirteen Major Cases In Japan Deprogramming Cases Dismissed in Japan The Rise and Fall of “Deprogramming” In the United States Lee Boothby: "White Paper Report and Call to Action to Uphold Right Historical Chart of Religious Deprogramming in Japan List of Activists Involved in Religious Kidnapping & Forced Conversion Kazuhiro Yonemoto: Our Unpleasant Neighbors (translated chapter) Review on Yonemoto’s book National Diet (Japanese Parliament) Inquiry (May 21, 2000) Chris Antal "Forcible Deprogramming, the Japanese State, Link to Victims Association Web Page Link to StopJapanAbductions.org Quotes on Faith-breaking and Japan’s FailureTo Protect Human Rights of Religious Minorities
University Persecution
- Is this the University, pursuing the Truth? - 1st in series
- Is this the University, pursuing the Truth? - 2nd in series
- Is this the University, pursuing the Truth? - 3rd in series
- Is this the University, pursuing the Truth? - 4th in series
Forced De-Conversion Victim Statements - (list)
- Yumiko Kondo - Izumi Sato - Masahiro Tsumita - Hitomi Matsumori Soichiro Kobayashi Hirohisa Koide - Hiroko Tomizawa - Kumiko Tojo - Toru Goto - Tsutomu Tojo - Namiko Katagiri
Additional testimonies (names withheld upon request)
Statements and Letters
- Statement of the International Coaliton for Religious Freedom Universal Peace Federation Statement on Japan to the United Nations NCC Statement Complete Version Statement of the Institute of Religion and Public Policy Letter From the University of Denver Center for ACLC Statement on the Human Rights Violations Against National Council of Churches "Resolution on Letter of Steven Hassan to United Church of Christ in Japan ACLU Statement on Deprogramming and the Law
Articles
- Japanese Media Censor Statement about Human Rights Abuses of Religious Minorities Human Rights Advocates Call On Japan To Stop Japanese Ambassador Refuses To Meet U.S. Human Rights Leaders Japanese Police Refuse Aid To Local Captive Held By Family For Unificationists Expose Crisis of Faith-Breaking in Japan More Than 120 Women Clergy Protest Japan's Ongoing Human Rights Japan Offers No Response On Human Rights Issue Human Rights Leaders Await Word From Japanese Consulate On Meeting Now In America: “Stop The Kidnapping In Japan” Letter To The Honorable Shinichi Nishmiya American Civil Rights Leader Dr. Luonne Abram Rouse, United Methodist Human Rights Victim Recounts Abduction And Torture To Religious Religious Scholars Urged To Investigate Human Rights Violations In Former Secretary General Of Western European Union Says Japan Must Human Rights Expert Says Japan In “Collusion” With Criminals 21,000 Rally To Protest Japan's Ongoing Human Rights and Religious New Website Exposes Japan's Human Rights Violations Japan Overlooking Human Rights Abuses Claims International Media
Case Histories
- The Case Of Mitsuko Ishikawa Antal
Videos
Since 1966, More than 4,000 members of the Unification Church of Japan have been illegally confined by their families and “deprogrammers” in an attempt to make them leave the religion which they, as adults, freely chose to join. Those who escaped their captors report that every case involved the use of force, prison-like conditions, deprival of the right to communicate with the outside world, and an intense effort to pressure the believer to change his or her faith.