12 Years in Clutches of Coercive Faith-Breakers

Survivor of an incredible 12 years of forcible detention speaks out against dirty business of faith-breakers

Tokyo, 18th February 2025 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article. 

[Series] The “Deadly Struggle” to Protect Freedom of Religion – 17 Years Since Toru Goto’s Release

Part 3: Goto’s Autobiography Dubbed “Japan’s Version of ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’”

It continues to be victims of abduction and confinement

by the Religious Freedom Investigative Team of the editorial department of Sekai Nippo

See part 1, part 2

“All of my freedoms were completely taken away.”

On 10^th February 2025, Toru Goto (後藤徹), representing the “National Association of Victims of Abduction, Confinement, and Forced Deconversion”, held a lecture in Suginami Ward, Tokyo, on the occasion of the publication of his autobiography “Deadly Struggle: Surviving 4,536 Days of Confinement” (published by Sogeisha). The event drew approximately 300 attendees, including major media outlets. Goto repeatedly emphasized the torment of isolation, stating, “During those painful and lonely times, I had no choice but to pray earnestly.” Alongside recounting his harrowing 12 years and 5 months of confinement, he strongly condemned the grave injustice of coercive faith-breaking, which disregards religious freedom.

Previous Article: Toru Goto’s Fight for Justice: Faith Under Siege

Goto’s autobiography is structured into four main parts.

• Chapter 1 details his memories with his family and his encounter with the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church), while also touching on his first confinement at the hands of his own family in an attempt to force him to abandon his faith.
• Chapters 2 and 3 document the more than 12 years of confinement leading up to his eventual release.
• Chapter 4 covers his legal battle against his family, the Christian pastor who orchestrated his confinement, and the professional faith-breaking activists involved.

Goto vividly recalls the horrors of his forcible detention. In one passage, he describes how hearing the distant melody of the children’s song “Yuyake Koyake” over the disaster prevention radio brought him a fleeting sense of comfort:

“That brief one-minute melody from my childhood gave me solace.” (p.102)

On another occasion, he tried to scream for help through a bathroom vent, only to be violently restrained by Takashi Miyamura (宮村峻), a faith-breaking activist:

“He grabbed me by the collar, dragged me out of the bathroom, and I desperately grabbed anything I could reach to resist.” (p.113)

During the event, attorney Shinichi Tokunaga (徳永信一) compared Goto’s book to Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning”, a world-renowned account of survival in Nazi concentration camps. Tokunaga stated:

“Inside Nazi concentration camps, even the smallest aspects of daily life gave people a reason to keep going. While we cannot fully grasp Goto’s suffering, his autobiography carries his heartfelt cries.”

At its peak, more than 370 cases of abduction and forced confinement for religious deconversion were reported annually. Goto’s legal battle played a significant role in reducing such incidents, but they have not been completely eradicated. According to “Deadly Struggle”, in January 2021, a young believer in his 20s was confined at home for a month and managed to escape through a bathroom window. In 2024, another believer in Tokyo, also in his 20s, was reportedly abducted and forcibly de-converted.

Goto’s book warns:

“If the [Family Federation] is forcibly dissolved, the wave of abductions and confinements may once again spread across Japan.” (p.236)

Among those most concerned about this resurgence is undoubtedly Goto himself.

At the lecture, Tomihiro Tanaka (田中富広), president of the Family Federation in Japan, also spoke. He condemned how parents, influenced by “anti-cult” pastors and activists, have used their parental bonds to justify abduction and confinement. He further revealed that such cases have led to tragic consequences, including suicides and sexual assaults. Tanaka made a heartfelt plea:

“If parents truly want their son or daughter back (to leave the church), I will personally persuade them. But please, just stop the abductions.”

Independent YouTuber and pastor Tatsuhiro Iwamoto (岩本龍弘) also took the stage, emphasizing that while Christianity teaches “love your enemies”, the Family Federation must take a firm stand against those responsible for these abductions. He declared:

“Until the honor of the victims is restored, and their suffering is properly compensated, this issue cannot be considered resolved.”

It is estimated that over 4,300 individuals have been victims of coercive faith-breaking through abduction and confinement. Even Goto’s case is believed to be just the tip of the iceberg, suggesting that many untold tragedies remain hidden. This issue must not be allowed to fade into obscurity.

See part 1, part 2

Featured image above: Toru Goto (後藤徹), representing the “National Association of Victims of Abduction, Confinement, and Forced Deconversion”, delivers a lecture – Afternoon of 10^th February 2025, Suginami Ward, Tokyo. Photo: Yasuhiro Uno (宇野泰弘)

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