Dispelling Myths Behind Horrendous Persecution

Large monthly magazine lets religious head dispel some of the myths and lies on which the authorities and media base their dehumanizing treatment of faith minority

Part 4 (final part) of an interview (extensive excerpts) with Tomihiro Tanaka, President of the Family Federation in Japan, published by the well-known monthly opinion magazine Seiron (正論) in its June 2025 issue. Translated from Japanese. Republished in English with permission. Seiron is a publication by the Sankei Shimbun, one of Japan’s five national daily newspapers. Previously republished as two articles in Bitter Winter on 27th and 28th May. 

See part 1: Politics Overruled the Law in Dissolution Case

See part 2: Justice Twisted: Assumptions Replaced Evidence

See part 3: Massive Rights Abuses Shatter State Narrative

Debunking Lies That Turn Victims into Perpetrators

Interviewer: Fumihiro Kato, author

Concerns of discrimination and persecution

– We’ve heard from followers all over the country that they’ve experienced discrimination in their communities, workplaces, and schools. Denial of medical care, loss of business opportunities, and bullying or harassment at school have become increasingly severe.

Tanaka: The moment Prime Minister Kishida declared severance of ties, the attacks began. First came a wave of phone harassment directed at our headquarters and churches nationwide. After the dissolution order was issued, the harm to followers escalated. We fear this could spread rapidly in the future.

At our Shibuya Church, located across the street from our HQ, we were asked by the owner to “vacate the building”. There was even a case where employees of our religious organization couldn’t use their credit cards simply for being associated with it. In Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, facilities we’d used annually were suddenly denied to us on grounds of being “anti-social”. There have been families torn apart by divorce or even the suicide of children. We are particularly concerned that coercive deprogramming [See editor’s note below] through abduction and confinement might happen again.

Political position and past alliances

– The religious organization has historically maintained political affiliations. What are your thoughts on this and your future political stance?

Tanaka: We’ve always taken a firm stance against communism. That’s a fundamental, non-negotiable ideal for us. If we are to make this country a better place, we must never allow communism to take the lead. We are doctrinally committed to this stance.

The political party that aligned closest with our values – such as our emphasis on family and anti-communist ideology – was the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), so it was natural for us to support their lawmakers. However, we’ve also supported some members of the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP).

Now that our relationship with politics has been officially severed, we are not in a position to engage politically at the moment.

Not an anti-Japanese religious organization

– The Family Federation has been labeled an anti-Japanese religion and a financial pipeline to Korea.

Tanaka: The claim that we’re “anti-Japanese” was shocking. We’re working for Japan’s benefit – being called anti-Japanese is utterly outrageous.

Ask any of our hundreds of thousand followers nationwide, and I doubt even one of them would describe the religious organization as anti-Japanese. I don’t think anyone received anti-Japanese education from the church either. Our reality is clearly not anti-Japanese – 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 love of one’s country. That is our foundation.

Our connection to Korea is spiritual, linked to our leaders Hak Ja Han and Sun Myung Moon, whom we revere as messianic figures. Since our religious leaders are based in Korea, we naturally receive guidance from there, strengthening our faith. However, when it comes to money and donations, that’s where misunderstandings arise.

Japan sends funds overseas as missionary support – not just to Korea, but to the global headquarters, which is currently located in Korea. From 1977 to 2009, the international HQ was in the United States, and during that time donations went to the U.S. It was never specifically about Korea. That part of the narrative has been twisted in media coverage, and we really want people to understand this.

– Could the Family Federation maintain its independence as a Japanese religious corporation?

Tanaka: For example, when the Cheonwon Temple (a sacred place) was being built in Korea, they called on worldwide support. 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.

– Regarding relations with South Korea, TV programs say the Japanese religious organization has no decision-making power.

Tanaka: Just as Catholics worldwide are encouraged by the Pope’s words, we draw inspiration from Hak Ja Han’s messages. However, this does not serve as a directive to contribute funds based on our financial capabilities. The distribution of substantial amounts is decided during board meetings, and meticulous records are kept. We are not blindly following orders.

– Any concluding thoughts?

Tanaka: Our organization is not a perpetrator. We speak from the perspective of being victims. Prime Minister Kishida’s declaration of severing ties is where it all started. That statement distorted everything and caused us to lose public trust. It has impacted over 100,000 followers. We believe Kishida bears a grave responsibility, and we want him to apologize.

Today’s events will be remembered in history, and the burden of responsibility will rest on Prime Minister Kishida. We sincerely hope people will face the facts and realities of those who are wrongfully judged.

Tomihiro Tanaka
Born 1956, Hokkaido
Graduate of Hokkai Gakuen University, Department of Architecture
14th President of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification

See part 1: Politics Overruled the Law in Dissolution Case

See part 2: Justice Twisted: Assumptions Replaced Evidence

See part 3: Massive Rights Abuses Shatter State Narrative

Featured image above: A truck driving through the streets of Osaka, Japan on 2nd June 2025 with large posters from the Family Federation. Photo: FFWPU

[Editor’s note: Coercive faith-breaking (“deprogramming”) in Japan refers to the practice of coercively attempting to separate individuals from their religious affiliations or beliefs, typically through intervention by family members, professional faith-breakers (deprogrammers) or organizations hostile to new religious movements (NRMs). This phenomenon often targets members of such movements, e.g. relatively large faiths like the Family Federation or Jehovah’s Witnesses, but also smaller groups like Happy Science (Kōfuku no Kagaku) and other newer religious movements.

However, also Soka Gakkai, a Buddhist-based lay organization with more than 8 million Japanese members, and affiliated with Nichiren Buddhism, has occasionally been subject to faith-breaking attempts.

The practice gained attention in the latter half of the 20th century, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. Parents or concerned family members often hired faith-breakers who taught them how to abduct and forcibly detain believers. Almost all such cases involved confining the individual believer and cutting him or her off from the religious community. During the confinement, the believer was subjected to intense questioning or indoctrination designed to break his or her faith. The aim was to “rescue” the person from what the family often had been tricked by faith-breakers or lawyers to regard as harmful influence from the religious organization.

Critics of forced de-conversion argue that it violates fundamental human rights, including freedom of thought, religion, and association. Reports of psychological trauma and accusations of unlawful detention have sparked debates over its ethical and legal implications. In response, some religious groups, particularly NRMs, have lobbied for greater protections against such practices.

Japanese courts have been inconsistent in addressing cases of coercive faith-breaking. While some verdicts have condemned the practice as illegal detention, others have been more lenient, citing family concerns about “mental health” or alleged “exploitation” as mitigating factors.]

Related to dispelling myths: Japan Following the Way of China

Also related to dispelling myths: Japan’s Dissolution Case Echoes China’s Playbook

And also related to dispelling myths: “Lawyers Lying and Shaming Japan” for 50 Years

More, related to dispelling myths: Lawfare: State Uses Legal System in War on Faith

Also related to dispelling myths: Media/Legal Expert: Communism Behind Persecution

And more, related to dispelling myths: Militant Lawyers Dictate Government Policy

And more, related to dispelling myths: Media Helping Terrorist Reach His Goal

Related to dispelling myths: Kishida Administration Giving in to Terrorism

And more, related to dispelling myths: 12 Religious Freedom NGOs Denouncing Japan

Yet more, related to dispelling myths: Japanese Communists’ Final War

Still more, related to dispelling myths: Political and Social Activism behind Oppression

And yet more, related to dispelling myths: Opposition Inciting Regime to Excessive Steps

And still more, related to dispelling myths: Journalist Reveals Ugly Leftwing Conspiracy

And even more, related to dispelling myths: Gingrich: Kishida Joining Communist Campaign

Yet more, related to dispelling myths: The 3 Enemies of Religious Liberty

Still more, related to dispelling myths: Lawyer Exposes Dirty Leftwing Plot

And yet more, related to dispelling myths: Inhuman Government-Supported Mass Deprogramming

And still more, related to dispelling myths: Bias: No Right to Respond for Religious Minority

And even more, related to dispelling myths: Collusion to Rob Minority of Its Rights

Yet more, related to dispelling myths: State and Media Creating “Today’s Non-Citizens”

Still more, related to dispelling myths: Japan Criticized for Glaring Rights Violations

And yet more, related to dispelling myths: Two European Scholars Warning Japan