Kishida Got on Leftist Anti-Religious Bandwagon

Japanese politician points out how the Kishida administration all of a sudden jumped on anti-religious bandwagon

Tokyo, 17th July 2024 – Published as the 11th article in a series in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article

Series: Freedom of Religion Under Threat – Part 2: Ripples to local assemblies

A sense of crisis in Japan where faith is declining

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

See part 1: The Kishida Administration’s Reckless Actions: 1st article, 2nd article, 3rd article, 4th article, 5th article, 6th article

See part 2: Ripples to Local Assemblies: 7th article, 8th article, 9th article, 10th article, 11th article, 12th article, 13th article, 14th article, 15th article

See part 3: Believers Suffering Discrimination and Human Rights Violations: 16th article, 17th article, 18th article, 19th article, 20th article, 21st article, 22nd article

See part 4: Media Crossing the Line: 23rd article, 24th article, 25th article, 26th article, 27th article, 28th article

See part 5: The Distorted Image of the “Second-Generation”: 29th article, 30th article, 31st article, 32nd article, 33rd article, 34th article, 35th article, 36th article, 37th article, 38th article

See part 6: Voices of Religious Leaders: 39th article, 40th article, 41st article, 42nd article, 43rd article, 44th article, 45th article, 46th article

See part 7: Religion in Japan in a Global Context: 47th article, 48 article, 49th article, 50th article, 51st article, 52nd article, 53rd article, 54th article, 55th article

See Epilogue: 56th article, 57th article, 58th article

“The very basic principle of protecting religious freedom is not being upheld. What is religion? When human beings encounter situations beyond their control, they naturally put their hands together and pray to God.”

On 16^th June, the followers of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church) held a conference and a street demonstration in Kumamoto City on the theme of religious freedom. In his opening remarks, Isao Tonomi (主海偉佐雄), a former chairman of the Kumamoto City Council, spoke about the importance of having faith. He used the example of prison chaplains (often monks or pastors) who guide criminals in detention centers to atone for their sins and reform themselves. Tonomi emphasized,

“Having faith and being able to guide others is extremely important for human beings.”

Following the shooting incident involving former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, criticism was directed at the Family Federation. Lawmakers with “ties” to the Family Federation or related organizations, such as attending gatherings and events, became the focus of media attention. In Kumamoto Prefecture, Tonomi was the first “former politician with ties” to become a media target.

In an interview with this paper, Tonomi laughed it off, saying, “Perhaps because I said what needed to be said outright, I haven’t been interviewed by anyone since.” Nevertheless, he lamented that people who had previously participated together in gatherings and events of related organizations, or sent congratulatory messages, “all suddenly distanced themselves”.

For Tonomi, who has an unwavering belief in the importance of protecting religious freedom, it was easy to accept the request to become a representative leader of a related organization and the request to become the chairman of the “Kumamoto Citizens’ Association for the Protection of Basic Human Rights and Religious Freedom”, which was established in conjunction with the conference.

During his time as a city council member, Tonomi was inspired by the Japan-Korea Tunnel Project, which envisioned a tunnel connecting Karatsu City in Saga Prefecture with Korea. He also became sympathetic to activities promoting world peace, such as young people riding bicycles to advocate for the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula. He not only joined the board of related organizations but also deepened his friendships with the believers.

“Even though we do good things and work hard, people who don’t know anything are making a fuss about dissolving the religious organization, and Prime Minister Kishida jumps on that bandwagon. It’s ridiculous to raise one’s voice without knowing the truth.  It makes me think, what a pathetic state Japan is in. I feel that Japanese politics has truly become pitiful.”

Lamenting this, Tonomi advises the members of the Family Federation, “The believers should more boldly say what needs to be said.” He believes that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology‘s request for a court order to dissolve the Family Federation was influenced by leftist ideas held by politicians and the media, who lack religious values. Tonomi asserts,

“All the wonderful aspects of the Japanese heart come from religion. If they destroy religious organizations like this, what will become of Japan and the Japanese people?”

Tonomi himself practices Jodo Buddhism and serves as a responsible officer of the Kumamoto Prefecture Gokoku Shrine. Among the twelve officers of the Kumamoto Prefecture Association of Shinto Shrines, he is the only one who is not a Shinto priest. “Religion is important for humanity, but households without Buddhist altars or Shinto shrines are increasing. The number of shrines without priests is also on the rise,” he said, expressing his concern about the diminishing presence of religion in communities and homes.

Japan has traditionally been a religious country centered around the Imperial family. Tonomi recalls, “Before the war, there was something called ‘moral education’. The Imperial Rescript on Education was taught, and there were statues of Kinjiro Ninomiya (二宮金次郎).” [Editor’s note: Japanese sage and agrarian reformer, also called Sontoku Ninomiya (1787-1856).]

In light of the loss of the Japanese spirit, Tonomi reflects on the case of Tetsuya Yamagami, who killed former Prime Minister Abe:

“We’re creating heinous criminals who easily kill people they hate.”

See part 1: The Kishida Administration’s Reckless Actions: 1st article, 2nd article, 3rd article, 4th article, 5th article, 6th article

See part 2: Ripples to Local Assemblies: 7th article, 8th article, 9th article, 10th article, 11th article, 12th article, 13th article, 14th article, 15th article

See part 3: Believers Suffering Discrimination and Human Rights Violations: 16th article, 17th article, 18th article, 19th article, 20th article, 21st article, 22nd article

See part 4: Media Crossing the Line: 23rd article, 24th article, 25th article, 26th article, 27th article, 28th article

See part 5: The Distorted Image of the “Second-Generation”: 29th article, 30th article, 31st article, 32nd article, 33rd article, 34th article, 35th article, 36th article, 37th article, 38th article

See part 6: Voices of Religious Leaders: 39th article, 40th article, 41st article, 42nd article, 43rd article, 44th article, 45th article, 46th article

See part 7: Religion in Japan in a Global Context: 47th article, 48 article, 49th article, 50th article, 51st article, 52nd article, 53rd article, 54th article, 55th article

See Epilogue: 56th article, 57th article, 58th article

Featured image above: Isao Tonomi, born in 1935 in Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture. After graduating from Kumamoto Technical High School, he joined Shukai Construction. He served as a member of the Kumamoto City Council for 28 years over seven terms. He is a former chairman of the Kumamoto City Council and a former chairman of the Kumamoto Prefecture City Council. He is also an advisor to the National Association of Volunteer Probation Officers. Photo (2024): Sekai Nippo

Related to anti-religious bandwagon: Inhuman Government-Supported Mass Deprogramming

Also related to anti-religious bandwagon: Scholar Condemns Violation of Minority Rights

More, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Collusion to Rob Minority of Its Rights

And more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Malicious One-Sided Government Source Selection

And even more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Government’s Foul Play Pointed Out

Yet more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: State and Media Creating “Today’s Non-Citizens”

Even more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Scholar Condemns Violation of Minority Rights

Still more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Japan Criticized for Glaring Rights Violations

Yet more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Japan Urged to Make U-Turn

Even more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Japan Following the Way of China

And still more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: 12 Religious Freedom NGOs Denouncing Japan

And even more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Conference on Religious Freedom Violations

And yet more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Japan Copying Totalitarian Regimes

Still more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Japan: Threat to Religious Freedom

Even more, related to anti-religious bandwagon: Call to End Witch Hunt