Japan: Unification Church’s President Tanaka Speaks. 2. Deprogramming and Slander
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The second part of an interview the leader of the Unification Church in Japan gave to “Seiron” magazine for its June issue.
May 28, 2025
Article 2 of 2. Read article 1.
Q.: Media outlets frequently report on alleged harm caused by the church, but we rarely hear about harm suffered by the church.
Tanaka: The media doesn’t report on it at all, but in the context of the dissolution proceedings, I want readers to understand one thing: the issue of abduction, confinement, and forced renunciation of faith.
Since our founding, we have been labeled as heretical by Christian churches, and this continues to this day. Christian pastors have begun abducting our members and pressuring them to abandon our faith. This dates back to 1966, two years after we were recognized as a religious corporation.
When our affiliated organization, the “International Federation for Victory Over Communism,” was established in 1968, left-wing groups and activists, including those linked to the Communist Party, began working together with the Christian pastors on these initiatives.
One tactic we struggled with was having our supporters kidnapped and forcibly confined in psychiatric hospitals purportedly linked to Communist groups, where they were coerced into abandoning their faith. This garnered some media attention, and when we filed habeas corpus petitions, the courts acknowledged them, leading to a decline in such activities due to human rights concerns.
However, the practice did not vanish; it transformed. So-called “deprogrammers,” who claimed to know how to deconvert members, became key figures. Families—parents and siblings—would abduct the believers and confine them in apartments, where pastors collaborated with deprogrammers to pressure them to leave the church.
This type of violent forced deconversion is known as “deprogramming.” It has been recognized as a human rights violation in the United States and has largely disappeared. However, in Japan, it continued until 2015, when civil courts finally ruled it illegal. Although family members carried out the abductions and confinement, deprogrammers guided and supervised the process from beginning to end. Even when police became involved, they argued it was a “family matter,” and authorities would not intervene. No one has ever faced criminal charges for it. This represents a significant, largely unspoken scandal.
The confinement continued until the believers renounced their faith. In some instances, our members feigned deconversion to escape confinement, only to return to the church afterward. Following that, even claiming to deconvert would not lead to release, and the periods of confinement lengthened.
Q.: How does this relate to the dissolution order?
Tanaka: In the December 2023 issue of “Seiron,” Toru Goto shared a harrowing account of his abduction and confinement for 12 years and 5 months. He is not alone—at least 4,300 of our believers are known to be victims of kidnapping and forced renunciation, and 3,000 of them ultimately abandoned their faith.
Many deconverted individuals later collaborated with the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales (NNLSS), appearing in media reports and court cases.
Of the 157 written statements submitted by the government in support of the dissolution order, 88% came from victims of abduction and forced deconversion. A sizable portion of the 32 civil lawsuits cited by the government as grounds for dissolution involved plaintiffs who were deprogramming victims.
Most citizens remain entirely unaware of this structure. This “inconvenient truth” has been buried because it undermines the narrative promoted by the NNLSS, which is connected to deprogrammers and has become the primary source for the media. The media continues to spread only negative portrayals of us, and even the Japanese government has proceeded with the dissolution request in collaboration with the NNLSS.
However, behind the scenes, a system that continuously produces “plaintiffs” and “victims” to attack the church is allowed to flourish, leaving most people unaware of it. One must ask: Why are so many former believers suddenly coming forward as “victims”? You cannot understand the situation without acknowledging this context.
However, the government collaborated with only one side and proceeded with the trial. Under these conditions, a fair image of the church could not emerge. Although the court ultimately did not directly use the 32 civil lawsuits as grounds for the dissolution, it still arrived at its conclusion through speculation.
Q.: We’ve heard from devotees nationwide who faced discrimination in their communities, workplaces, and schools. Denial of medical care, loss of business opportunities, and bullying or harassment in schools have become increasingly severe.
Tanaka: The attacks began when Prime Minister Kishida declared the severance of ties. Initially, there was a wave of phone harassment aimed at our headquarters and churches nationwide. After the dissolution order was issued, the harm to our followers escalated. We are concerned this could spread rapidly in the future.
At the Shibuya Church, located across the street from our HQ, the owner asked us to “vacate the building.” There was even a case where church employees couldn’t use their credit cards simply for being associated with the organization. In Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the facilities we used annually were suddenly denied because we were “antisocial.” Families have been torn apart by divorce or even the suicide of children. We are particularly concerned that forced deprogramming through abduction and confinement might happen again.
Q.: The church has historically maintained political affiliations. What are your thoughts on this and your future political stance?
Tanaka: We’ve always maintained a strong stance against communism. It’s a fundamental, non-negotiable ideal for us. To improve this country, we must never allow communism to take the lead. We are doctrinally committed to this position.
The political party that closely aligned with our values—such as our emphasis on family and anti-communist ideology—was the LDP, making it natural for us to support their lawmakers. However, we have also endorsed certain members of the Constitutional Democratic Party.
Now that our relationship with politics has been officially severed, we can no longer engage politically.
Q.: The Family Federation has been characterized as an anti-Japan religion and a financial conduit to Korea.
Tanaka: The claim that we’re “anti-Japan” was shocking. We are working for Japan’s benefit—being labeled anti-Japan is utterly outrageous.
If you ask our followers across the nation, I doubt that even one would describe the church as anti-Japan. I don’t believe anyone has received anti-Japanese education at church either. Our reality is not anti-Japan; if anything, we are patriotic. In Reverend Sun Myung Moon’s teachings, he explicitly states: “Those who cannot love their country cannot love the world.”
Leadership must be nurtured through a love of one’s country. That is our foundation.
Our connection to Korea is spiritual, linked to our leaders, Hak Ja Han Moon and Sun Myung Moon, whom we regard as messianic figures. Since our religious leaders are based in Korea, we naturally receive guidance from there, strengthening our faith. However, misunderstandings arise regarding money and donations.
Japan sends funds overseas as missionary support—not only to Korea but also to the global headquarters currently located in Korea. From 1977 to 2009, the international headquarters was in the United States, and during that time, donations were directed to the U.S. It was never specifically about Korea. That part of the narrative has been distorted in media coverage, and we genuinely want people to understand this.
For example, they called for worldwide support when the Cheon Won Gung (a sacred temple) was built in Korea. If they say, “We hope Japan can contribute this much,” then we in Japan discuss it in our board meetings and decide how much of our budget can be allocated.
Just as Catholics worldwide are encouraged by the Pope’s words, we draw inspiration from Hak Ja Han Moon’s messages. However, this does not serve as a directive to contribute funds based on our financial capabilities. The distribution of substantial amounts is determined during board meetings, and meticulous records are maintained. We are not blindly following orders.
Q.: Any concluding thoughts?
A.: Our organization is not a perpetrator; we speak from the victims’ perspective. Prime Minister Kishida’s declaration to sever ties marked the beginning of it all. That statement distorted everything and caused us to lose public trust, impacting tens of thousands of followers. We believe Kishida bears grave responsibility, and we want him to apologize.
Today’s events will be remembered in history, and Prime Minister Kishida will bear responsibility. We sincerely hope that people will face the facts and realities of those who are wrongfully judged.
Source: bitterwinter.org
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