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Urgent Concerns for Religious Minorities in Japan Highlighted at UN Human Rights Council Breakfast Briefing

Geneva, September 25, 2024 (FOREF Europe) — At a Breakfast Briefing titled *“Serious Human Rights Concerns for Faith Minority Communities in Japan”, hosted alongside the 57th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, experts presented alarming evidence of escalating religious freedom violations in Japan. Organized by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), the event focused on a new report by French human rights attorney Patricia Duval, which details the ongoing persecution of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), commonly known as the Unification Church.

New Report: “A Witch Hunt to Eradicate the Unification Church”

Ms. Patricia Duval, a member of the Paris Bar and an expert in international human rights law, presented her 29-page report titled *“Japan: A Witch Hunt to Eradicate the Unification Church”*. The report reveals key violations of international human rights treaties by the Japanese government, specifically targeting FFWPU through decades of organized deprogramming efforts and legal harassment.

“The government’s recent call for the dissolution of FFWPU is part of a larger, systemic campaign of persecution,” said Ms. Duval. “For decades, Unification Church members have been kidnapped, confined, and coerced into renouncing their faith. Now, Japan has adopted a new strategy—targeting second-generation believers through human rights classes and counseling led by former members of the church.”

Ms. Duval’s report also underscores the international legal ramifications of Japan’s actions, which violate its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). “These efforts by the Japanese government are not just isolated incidents—they represent a dangerous precedent that undermines religious freedom in one of the world’s leading democracies,”  she concluded.

Post-Assassination Persecution of FFWPU and Minority Faiths in Japan

The persecution intensified following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022, according to Norishige Kondo, Director of the Legal Department of FFWPU Japan. “The media, in collaboration with anti-Unification Church lawyers, falsely blamed our organization for the assassin’s actions, leading to a public outcry that fueled government intervention,” said Mr. Kondo.

He explained that the perpetrator’s personal vendetta, rooted in events from over 20 years ago, was exploited to create a national campaign against the church. “Despite the absence of evidence linking the church to the crime, the government and media have pushed forward with efforts to dissolve our organization, completely disregarding the principles of religious freedom,” added Kondo.

Global Implications of Japan’s Religious Persecution

Dr. Aaron Rhodes, President of the Forum for Religious Freedom Europe (FOREF), delivered a stark warning about the broader implications of Japan’s actions. “Japan is a democracy, and its behavior is sending a dangerous message to the world. If a democratic country like Japan can so blatantly disregard international human rights laws, what will stop other democracies from following suit?”  he asked.

Drawing on his decades of experience, Dr. Rhodes also highlighted global religious freedom challenges, citing research from the Pew Foundation:

“Religious groups are harassed in 183 countries today, with most of these groups being minorities. This is not just an issue in authoritarian regimes—every religion is a minority somewhere. Japan’s persecution of the Unification Church mirrors the discrimination we see in other parts of the world, where states use religious belief as a weapon to suppress alternative voices.”

Dr. Rhodes provided examples of egregious violations, including China’s ongoing sinicization campaign, where religious groups are forced to align with Communist Party ideology. “In China, over one million Uyghurs are detained based on their religious beliefs, while the Falun Gong and Christian groups face brutal repression, including forced organ harvesting,” said Dr. Rhodes. He also pointed out that the Unification Church is banned in China and labeled a cult, facing similarly oppressive treatment.

He highlighted other concerning cases in Russia, where minority religious groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been targeted: “In 2017, the Russian Supreme Court labeled Jehovah’s Witnesses as extremists, leading to widespread persecution, arrests, and the raiding of homes. This is part of a broader trend of states using religious belief to justify oppression, and Japan’s actions are dangerously following that path.”

Dr. Rhodes also touched on the dire situation in many Islamic societies, where freedom of religion is severely limited:

“In 12 countries, apostasy is punishable by death, and anti-apostasy laws prevent individuals from freely changing their religion. This is a clear violation of international human rights, and it is appalling that some of these countries are members of the UN Human Rights Council itself.”

The Impact on Women’s Federation for World Peace

Mrs. Hori Moriko, President of WFWPU International and Japan, spoke about the devastating impact of these actions on the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP). She shared how their projects in Japan and globally have been severely affected by the persecution.

“Since the assassination of Prime Minister Abe, our humanitarian work has been under attack. We’ve lost 2,000 paying members due to false allegations, and as a result, over 20,000 beneficiaries across the world—women and children in need—are at risk of losing vital support,” said Mrs. Hori.

She also shared the troubling story of their Jambo vocational school for women in Senegal, which had been supported by the organization for over 30 years. “The Japanese government forced us to erase our name from this project, despite our long history of empowering women in Senegal. This is not just a political attack; it is an attack on the lives and futures of the women we support,” she added.

Call for International Action

The speakers collectively urged the international community to take immediate action. Ms. Duval’s report calls on the UN Human Rights Council to intervene and demand that Japan halt its persecution of FFWPU and other religious minorities.

“Experts are alarmed by the escalation of human rights violations in Japan. While Japan is not the worst offender globally—especially compared to autocratic countries—it has recently become the most severe violator of religious freedom among modern democracies. This could lead to a copycat effect among other democracies, creating an ominous, slippery slope for human rights. It is urgent that democracies worldwide hold Japan accountable to ensure fundamental rights are respected,” said Dr. Rhodes.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Kondo echoed the urgency of global action:

“The persecution of the Unification Church in Japan is not just a national issue—it is a global human rights crisis. We need the international community to stand with us and protect the rights of all religious minorities.”

Next Steps

The report will be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council, and efforts to raise global awareness about the plight of religious minorities in Japan will continue. The event organizers called on governments, international organizations, and human rights advocates to stand in solidarity and push for immediate reforms in Japan.

For more information or to obtain a copy of the report, please contact:

Mr. Jacques Marion – UPF Europe & Middle East
Email: jacqmarion@gmail.com
Mobile: ‭+33 6 74 15 23 64‬

About UPF and WFWP: 

The Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and the Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP) are international NGOs with General Consultative Status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). They are committed to promoting peace, human rights, and sustainable development through global advocacy and grassroots initiatives.

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