Human Rights Event at the University of Washington, USA

The Daily of the University of Washington reports a human rights event held at its campus on Nov.20, 2010 (Sat).

Read more details here.
http://dailyuw.com/2010/11/22/uw-student-group-raises-awareness-japanese-religio/


Added on Dec. 5, 2010
The videos of the event have been uploaded in the Youtube.

Part#1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56zwVtT9Ago

Part#2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhsMSjLmKE8&feature=related

Parts#3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3BM4PTdQcI&feature=related

xxx

Video - New York Rally on Nov 16, 2010

The video on New York Rally held in front of the Japanese Consulate on Nov 16, 2010 has been uploaded in the following website.

http://vimeo.com/17010936

You can see and hear Rev. Luonne Rouse, Archibishop George A. Stallings, other Christian ministers as well as 2 Japanese lady victims speak strongly in front of the Japanese Consulate in New York.

US Deparment. of State - International Religious Freedom Report 2010

2010 version of International Religious Freedom Report was published by US Department of State on Nov 17, 2010.

The Department of States' Religious Freeedom report is published every year.  In the past years, only a few lines were used for the deprogramming activities in Japan. 

In the Japan Section this year, it states as follows;

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Quotes from http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2010/148871.htm
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Forced Religious Conversion

The Unification Church reported some adherents were pressured by family members and professional deprogrammers to leave the church.

Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom

Although most groups report wide-spread tolerance and respect for religious freedom there were some reports of societal abuse based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice.

For several years deprogrammers working with family members have reportedly abducted Unification Church members, members of Jehovah's Witnesses, and other minority religions. The Unification Church and Jehovah's Witnesses-affiliated organization Watchtower report the number of cases has declined sharply over the last 10 years. However the Unification Church reported five members were abducted during the reporting period. These reports could not be independently confirmed, and some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have accused the Unification Church of exaggerating or fabricating these reports.

In 2008 an adult member of the Unification Church was released after reportedly being held against his will by family members and a professional deprogrammer for over 12 years. Prosecutors did not pursue the case citing insufficient evidence. The case was on appeal at the end of the reporting period.
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US Department of State URLs

International Religious Freedom Report 2010 - Japan
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2010/148871.htm

International Religious Freedom Report 2010 - All Nations
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2010/

The 2009 Report (See page 764 - 766 for Japan report)
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/140693.pdf

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Demonstrations in 10 Major US Cities

On Nov. 16, 2010, Human rights activists, religious leaders and victims held demonstrations in front of Japanese consulate general in 10 major US cities to demand Japan to stop religious kidnapping/confinement. Some Japanese victims who live in the US spoke in the event. 

More details here.
http://www.familyfed.org/news/index.php?id=193&page=1&apage=1

A 33 year old lady disappeared after she had a lunch with her parents.

3 Unification Church members are believed to be confined against their will at the moment. I write about Ms MY (33) today.  (Please click on the link below for the Mr.NK and Ms OM's cases.)

1. NK (Male, 25, Tokyo) since June 14, 2010
2. OM (Female, 27, Abeno-ku, Osaka) since August 14, 2010
3. MY (Female, 33, Osaka) since September 13, 2010

Before the disappearance on Sep 13, 2010, she was held under house arrest for 21 days in June 2010.  She was asked to visit parents' house to participate in the family event to make rice cake on Jun 21, 2010.  Upon her arrival, Ms MY was forcefully grabbed by her sister's husband, and taken to the house arrest location.  She went to work from there. 

She was threatened by her father that he would commit suicide if she escaped.  She was allowed only to go to work.  She said even if she had freedom to go out (to go to work), it was mentally confinement.

It took 21 days before the release. She tried to convince her father that she should be released.  After the release, she suffered mental disorder and she had to take leave from her work. She was being treated by psychosomatic medicine specialists at the time of Sep. 13 disappearance.

After the release her father attended the church event, and they had a lunch together.

On Sep 13, 2010, Ms MY and her parents had a lunch together at 1pm. She was going tell her parents that she'll attend the church wedding.  At 5pm, a man (he said he's father of MY) called church leader saying, "We are discussing now.  She'll return tomorrow." then the line was cut.

The church leader contacted her workplace, and was told that her father contacted them already and asked for leave until the end of the year.

Since then, there's no further information on Ms MY.

There are some similarities with other kidnapping.
1. Parents tried to make the victim feel safe by attending the church event.
2. Parents contacted the victim's work place.


2 months have passed since the disappearance.  As she was already suffering mental disorder from the previous house arrest, there's high risk of having PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

Reference - Japanse URLs
http://ratikan2010.blog134.fc2.com/blog-entry-66.html

History & Updates of Confinement

More information will be added to this page as more articles are updated in this blog.

This page is accessed by pressing "Updates" in the label from right hand side menu.

The date format in this page is yyyy-mm-dd.

Confinement Updates (As of 2010-11-17)

There was information that Ms MY(33) returned to the original church community. No details availale for the security reason at the moment.  Number of people confined has been reduced to 2 from 3.

1. Mr.NK (25) Tokyo, Since 2010-06-14
2. Ms OM (27) Osaka, Since 2010-08-14



History of Confinement 2010

2010-06-14 Mr.NK disappeared, still in confinement.
2010-08-13 Ms HM kidnapped, 2010-10-06 Released after 54 days of the confinement.
2010-08-13 Mr.MK kidnapped, 2010-10-29 Escaped from the confinement.
2010-08-14 Ms OM disappeared, still in confinement.
2010-09-13 Ms MY(33) disappeared, 2010-11 Returned to the church


History of Confinement 2009

History of Confinement 2008

History of Confinement 2007

History of Confinement 2006







History of Confinement 2005

History of Confinement 2004

History of Confinement 2003

History of Confinement 2002

History of Confinement 2001

History of Confinement 1999

History of Confinement 1998

History of Confinement 1997

1997-03-09 Ms Takako FUJITA kidnapped, 1997-07-12 Committed suicide in the confinement.

History of Confinement 1996

History of Confinement 1995

History of Confinement 1994

History of Confinement 1993

History of Confinement 1992

History of Confinement 1991

History of Confinement 1990

History of Confinement 1989

History of Confinement 1988

History of Confinement 1987

History of Confinement 1986

History of Confinement 1985

Takako took her own life during confinement. No Comment from the deprogrammer.

The deprogramming in Japan is the crime behind closed doors.  Unless they escape from the confinement and speak up, no one would know what happened in the closed doors.  In today's article, the victim could not speak up, but this is the real story which occurred in 1997. 

Confinement Data:
Victim: Ms. Takako FUJITA
Date Kidnapped: March 9, 1997
Place Kidnapped:  Parents home in Ehime (in Shikoku Island)
Place of Confinement: Kyoto
Deprogrammer: Takeo FUNADA, Minister - Kyoto Seito Church of Jesus Christ Church in Japan

Ms. Takako FUJITA was born on July 5, 1970 in Ehime in Shikoku Island.  She joined the Unification Church in 1989 when she was a University student in Kyoto.  After graduation, she got a job at a welfare institution for the physically disabled. 

On August 25, 1995, She married Mr. Lee, a Korean man at the Wedding Ceremony of the Unification Church.   Then, in Dec. 1996, she moved to Korea to join Mr. Lee.

On Mar 9, 1997, she made a homecoming visit to her parents house, but she was kidnapped by her parents and transferred to Kyoto for the deprogramming process.

On Mar.15, 1997, Mr. Lee came to Japan to find her.  He stayed for 10 days, but no leads found.

On May 21, 1997, Mr. Lee came back to Japan, and re- visited the Niihama Police.  The police didn’t do much other than to call Takako’s father’s work place.  The police said, “You should ask Korean Police as the person lived in Korea before missing.  Didn’t she leave Korea because she didn’t like Korea? ”  Mr. Lee  had to return to Korea on May 24th.

Takako had her 27th birthday on July 5, 1997 in the confinement.   Almost 4 months passed since the kidnapping.  On July 15, a shocking news of Takako’s funeral was delivered from Takako’s father’s work place. 

The Unification Church Head office contacted the Police, and the Police confirmed that Takako hung herself in the bathroom of the apartment where she was confined in the morning on July 12, 1997.  She was transferred to the  Nishijin Hospital by an ambulance, but announced dead in the early morning on the following day, July 13, 1997. 


It was found that a Christian church minister, Takeo FUNADA, Kyoto Seito Church of Japan Jesus Christ Church was involved in this deprogramming.  The minister, Takeo FUNADA said, “I have no intention to comment.”

If the police assisted the Korean husband to find his wife's whereabouts, and if the police confirmed Takako's situation and protected her, this tragedy would not have happened.

The minister involved in this case is Takeo FUNADA of Kyoto Seito Church, Japan Jesus Christ Church.  13 years have already passed, but he still needs to explain.

Photo:On Sunday, Oct 17, 2010, around 120 people participated in a demonstration.  They marched in front of the Takeo FUNADA's church. 
(photo by http://ratikan2010.blog134.fc2.com/blog-entry-82.html ) 

Reference -  Japanese URLs
http://ratikan2010.blog134.fc2.com/blog-entry-82.html
http://yonemoto.blog63.fc2.com/blog-entry-214.html

Reference - English URLs
http://www.familyfed.org/news/index.php?id=147&page=5
http://vimeo.com/16325762

Reference - Book (Japanese)
Nippon Shuuyousho Rettou by Gentaro Kajikuri