Open Letter from European and US Human Rights Organizations to Japan

Today (Mar. 11, 2013), a court hearing of Toru Goto's case was held in Tokyo District Court in Japan.  Today's court session was direct examination and counter-examination to the plaintiff (Toru Goto).  As soon as I hear the details of the today's session, I will write on this blog.

European and US human rights organization wrote an open letter to Japanese authorities in order to stop the kidnappings.  Central-European Religious Freedom Institute published the letter.  I quote the letter here, together with Japanese translation. 

Toru Goto's Court Battle Goes Into 3rd Year

Mr. Toru Goto, a victim of 12-year-confinement filed a lawsuit on Jan 31, 2011.  His court case is entering into 3rd year.   

The court procedures in the past 2 years are called "Oral Proceedings", but they are proceedings of submitting documents such as statements, counter-statements, briefs, counter-claims etc. from both sides.  More than 200 documents were submitted from Goto side.

This articles shows the schedule of the Goto court case for the first half of 2013.

University Student Kidnapped and Confined for Deprogramming Purpose in Japan

Mr. M.F. is believed to have been kidnapped and confined by his family members for forceful religious de-conversion since Nov 10, 2012.

Mr. M.F. is a 22-year-old university student at Okayama University of Science in Japan.   

Asako's Existence Encouraged Other Victims to Speak Out.

Ms Asako Shukuya was a victim of deprogramming (kidnapping and confinement for the purpose of forcible conversion).   After renouncing the faith in the Unification Church, she was true to her heart and courageously started to speak out about inhumane acts of deprogramming.

I regret that Asako passed away.  She died of Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) at the age of 48 at home on Oct 15, 2012.  I would like to write about Asako today.

Ms Asako Shukuya
Photo from: http://kidnapping.jp/news/20121120.html

Japanese Wife Murders Korean Husband (UC Couple) Due to Tiring Nursing Care

2012-08-30 A follow up article at the end of this page.

The following article is about a Unification Church international couple (Korean - Japanese) who is involved in murder case in Korea.   I would  like to introduce a newspaper article which was published on Aug. 22., 2012 on Choson Online Japanese Version.

You may say that this story has nothing to do with this blog's topic which is Human Rights Violations in Japan, more specifically deprogramming practices in Japan. 

However, I think that this case will be used by  deprogrammers to make good excuses for abduction and confinement which they call  "protection and persuasion". 

The active deprogrammers and anti Unification Church groups will use this case to convince the parents that parents must "rescue" their children (carry out the abduction and confinement).

If the Unification Church does not handle this issue in a responsible and open way, abductions and confinement in Japan may increase.  The parents would risk more to "rescue" their sons and daughters to prevent their children from becoming murderers or serious offenders of crimes .

Female UC Member Suspected of Being Kidnapped & Confined

The website of Japan Victims' Association against Religious Kidnapping & Forced Conversion reported today (Aug 4, 2012) that another kidnapping and confinement case had occurred.

http://kidnapping.jp/news/20120804.html

Title: Another case of Kidnapping and Confinement
Aug. 4, 2012  Tokyo, Japan

The contact from a female member was lost after she visited her parents' home in Takaoka city*, Toyoma at the end of July.  From the circumstances around that time, it is highly suspected that she was kidnapped and confined for deprogramming purpose.

The female victim (Ms T.A. - 29 years old) belongs to Seijou Church in Tokyo.  She started to learn the Divine Principle at 2002.  She notified her parents of her faith in the Unification Church.

(*Takaoka city is about 300km north west from Tokyo.)

About  Japan Victims' Association against Religious Kidnapping & Forced Conversion

It was founded by the Unification Church members who were victims of Kidnapping and Confinement on Jan 8, 2010.  The president is Mr. Toru Goto who was confined for 12 years and 5 months against his will.

Civil Suit Filed Against the Unification Church and the State in Japan as a Result of Deprogramming

In my article dated on Jan 25, 2011, I reported on a missing Unification Church member  (Ms. T.T.) believed to be kidnapped and confined for deprogramming purpose by her family members.

There was an interesting development in Ms T.T.'s case.  Ms T.T. is Taeko TANAKA according to an investigative reporter, Mr. Kazuhiro YONEMOTO.   

As a result of the forcible deprogramming, she withdrew herself from the church.  Taeko filed a lawsuit against the Unification Church and the central government, demanding compensation of 4,200,000 Yen (= US$ 525,000). 

Today's story is about Ms Taeko TANAKA and her lawsuit.