Christian Pastors’ Secret Faith-Breaking Manual

Inside Japan’s deprogramming network: How a Christian coalition of pastors systematized dehumanizing faith-breaking

Part 5 of a talk given 10^th February 2025, in Tokyo, at the official launch of the book “Deadly Struggle: Surviving 4,536 Days of Confinement” by Toru Goto (後藤徹), held captive for 12 years and 5 months in an attempt to have his faith broken.

See part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 6

See also Apartment Prison: Faith-Breaking in Modern Japan

In 1987, the National Lawyers Network (全国弁連) was established, and the number of abduction and confinement cases exceeded 300. It was during this time that an organization was formed called the National Liaison Council of Christian Countermeasures Against the Principle Movement (Unification Church) (原理運動（統一教会）対策キリスト者の全国連絡協議会, abbreviated as Gentaikyo). This organization was primarily composed of Christian pastors. During its founding meeting, the following statement was declared:

“To rescue the sheep who have been tempted and led astray by the Unification Church, we, as comrades, must communicate closely and swiftly, cooperate with each other, and actively promote countermeasures. That is why we are holding this meeting today.”

This organization was born out of a motivation akin to a heresy hunt. At this meeting, 15 individuals, mainly pastors, participated. Among them were three individuals – Takashi Miyamura (宮村峻), Yasutomo Matsunaga (松永堡智), and Atsuyoshi Oshima (尾島敦義) – who were later found guilty of illegal acts in abduction and confinement trials. The fact that these individuals gathered to share information raises serious concerns.

Even now, there are still people who claim, “Such things never happened,” or “There was no systematic organization involved in these abductions and confinements.” However, I would like to present two clear pieces of evidence, both of which were submitted as evidence in my court case.

First, this is the faith-breaking manual that was presented at a Gentaikyo meeting. It was handwritten in its entirety by Yasutomo Matsunaga (松永堡智). This document is undeniable proof of the coercive de-conversion process through abduction and confinement. I would like to share it with everyone here today.

Regarding this so-called “rescue” process, the manual states:

“At a client’s home or at his or her relative’s house […], let yourself go wild.”

Reading each line is painful. The manual is filled with violent and coercive instructions, almost as if it were written by a criminal syndicate. It instructs parents:

“Do not allow the person to go outside without the permission of the deprogrammer or persuader. Never tell them about this plan. […] Cut off all contact with the outside world. Unless the person believes there is absolutely no escape, they will not obey.”

This is the kind of manual they shared and used in practice.

The manual further includes the following tactics:

1. When the confined person says, “Let me out,” the response is:

“Listen first. You are not trustworthy.”

2. If the believer refuses to talk:

“If you don’t talk, this situation will continue indefinitely. […] This ‘situation’ refers to their continued confinement.”

3. If the believer starts fasting:

“Go ahead, fast all you want. Once you are too weak to move, you won’t be able to escape.”

This manual was widely shared among deprogrammers.

The manual also includes criteria for release. As mentioned earlier, it states:

“They will always pretend to have left the church. If they are trying to escape, they will fake their de-conversion.”

To detect this, a fumi-e (踏み絵) test was used – a method originally employed during the Edo period to identify Christians by forcing them to step on religious images [See editor’s note below]. In this context, the fumi-e involved forcing believers to betray those they had converted into the Unification Church.

“Spiritual children” – the people they had converted – had to be named. This was, in effect, forcing them to sell out their spiritual children to the deprogrammers.

The fumi-e was widely shared among deprogrammers, reinforcing their methods and ensuring its continued use.

Continued in part 6.

See part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 6

See also Apartment Prison: Faith-Breaking in Modern Japan

Featured image above: Page from handwritten faith-breaking manual produced by National Liaison Council of Christian Countermeasures Against the Principle Movement (Unification Church) (原理運動（統一教会）対策キリスト者の全国連絡協議会, abbreviated as Gentaikyo). Photo: National Association of Victims of Abduction, Confinement, and Forced Deconversion

[Editor’s note: The illustration to the right depicts a fumi-e (踏み絵), which literally means “stepping-on picture” – typically an image of the Cross, Jesus Christ, or the Virgin Mary. The Tokugawa Shogunate used this practice to identify hidden Christians (known as Kirishitan) and their sympathizers during a time when Christianity was banned in Japan. While the act of stepping on these images was originally called efumi (絵踏), the term fumi-e is now commonly used to refer to both the practice and the object itself.

Those who hesitated or refused to step on the images were suspected of being Christians. They were taken to Nagasaki and ordered to renounce their faith. If they refused, they faced torture – and if they continued to resist, execution, often by burning at the stake.

This systematic persecution began in 1614 and was enforced by regional authorities. By the mid-17th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate had escalated its crackdown, ordering the expulsion of all European missionaries and the execution of Japanese converts. The suppression of Christianity continued for more than two centuries.]

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