How to Remain Free in an Age of Inquisition

Second-generation believers raise concerns over treatment of religious minorities as they wonder if they will stay free to live their faith in climate where more and more become “subjects of surveillance”

Tokyo, 1^st June 2026 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article.

What Is Being Suppressed Is “Religious Faith”

Second-Generation Believers Hold Talk Event

by editorial staff of Sekai Nippo

A talk event titled “How to Remain Free in an Age of Inquisition” (organized by Jokyo Publishing) was held in Tokyo on 31^st May 2026. Participants, including second-generation members [See editor’s note 1 below] of religious organizations, exchanged views on religion and freedom of belief in contemporary society.

See also Japan Breaking Faith of Children of Believers

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See also Next Target After Dissolution: Believers’ Rights

See also Japan: Only Freedom to Believe, Not to Practice

See also Supreme Court Upholds Dissolution of Federation

Nozomi Kojima (小嶌希晶), a second-generation believer of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly known as the Unification Church) and representative of the Association of Second-Generation Believers Protecting the Human Rights of Believers, spoke at the event. Referring to the intense media criticism of the religious organization over issues such as large donations following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (安倍晋三), Kojima said:

“It is important to focus on victims, but people also have the freedom to make donations, and not everyone involved is unhappy. The media could have reported on the issue in a more balanced way. Because of biased reporting, there have been cases of people being fired from their jobs, bullied at university, and even driven to suicide.”

According to Kojima, second-generation believers from religious organizations other than the Family Federation have also begun supporting the association’s activities. She stated:

“Being dissolved when it is not even clear whether there are legitimate grounds for dissolution is not someone else’s problem. Some people feel a sense of crisis, wondering whether the religious organization they belong to could be targeted next.”

Participating online, Masaki Nakamasa (仲正昌樹), a professor at Kanazawa University and a former member of the religious organization, commented:

“One should not judge a religion based on feelings that it is ‘creepy’ or on speculation that it might harm others. Such judgments should remain matters of personal subjective opinion. Restraining those impulses is the essence of a modern liberal society.”

He continued:

“What is abnormal about Japan’s litigation of the former Unification Church is the introduction of the idea that something must be done about a ‘dangerous religion’. If this is left unchecked, more and more people will gradually become subjects of surveillance.”

Itaq, a rapper and second-generation believer of Happy Science (幸福の科学) [See editor’s note 2 below], argued:

“In contemporary Japanese society, the object of suppression is not so much a particular organization as the religious faith that exists in people’s hearts.”

He suggested that faith is often criticized because:

“People fear that it may disrupt social order.”

At the same time, he emphasized:

“Faith is also what can present new possibilities for improving society. It is unacceptable for the state to attempt to suppress that spirit.”

See also Japan Breaking Faith of Children of Believers

See also: Japan: Abusive State to Shape Children’s Beliefs

More from Duval: Japan’s Next Step: Indoctrination of Children

See also Next Target After Dissolution: Believers’ Rights

See also Japan: Only Freedom to Believe, Not to Practice

See also Supreme Court Upholds Dissolution of Federation

See also Did Korean Origins Shape Dissolution Outcome?

See also Corporation Dissolved – Organization Remains

Featured image above: Nozomi Kojima (小嶌希晶 – right), representative of the Association of Second-Generation Believers Protecting the Human Rights of Believers, and Itaq (center), a second-generation member of Happy Science, attend a talk event on the afternoon of 31^st May 2026 in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo. Photo: Takahide Ishii (石井孝秀)

[Editor’s note 1: The term 宗教2世 (shūkyō nisei, literally “second-generation religious believer”) generally refers to people who were raised in a religion by parents who belonged to a religious organization, rather than joining it themselves as adults.]

[Editor’s note 2: Happy Science (幸福の科学, Kōfuku no Kagaku) is a Japanese new religious movement founded in 1986 by Ryuho Okawa ((大川 隆法 – 1956–2023). It teaches that spiritual truth can be discovered through the study of universal laws governing happiness, personal growth, and the development of the soul. The movement’s central concept is the pursuit of happiness through the principles of love, wisdom, self-reflection, and progress.

Okawa claimed to receive spiritual messages from a wide range of historical, religious, and even contemporary figures, including founders of major world religions and notable public figures. These claimed revelations became a major part of Happy Science’s teachings and publishing activities. The organization has produced hundreds of books, lectures, films, and educational materials, making it one of Japan’s most prolific religious publishing enterprises.

Happy Science presents itself as a universal religion that incorporates elements of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, New Thought spirituality, and other traditions. It teaches reincarnation, the immortality of the soul, and the existence of spiritual beings and higher-dimensional worlds. Followers engage in study, prayer, meditation-like practices, and attendance at lectures and ceremonies.

The movement has expanded internationally, establishing branches in numerous countries. It has also been involved in politics through the Happiness Realization Party, founded in 2009, which advocates conservative, nationalist, and economically liberal policies, though it has achieved limited electoral success.

Scholars generally classify Happy Science as a new religious movement rather than a traditional Buddhist sect. It has attracted both devoted followers and substantial criticism. Critics have questioned its spiritual claims, organizational practices, and political activities, while supporters view it as a source of moral guidance, spiritual meaning, and personal development.]

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