Expert on law for religious corporations recommends that Japan be taken before UN over its state persecution of religious minority
Tokyo, 23rd July 2024 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article
Conference Advocating for Religious Freedom Without Prejudice Towards Religions
by the editorial department of Sekai Nippo
On 22nd July 2024, the Japanese Committee for the International Coalition for Religious Freedom (ICRF), chaired by Kyushu University Professor Emeritus Shoichi Ito (伊東正一), held its general assembly in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, focusing on the theme of freedom of religion and democracy. During the assembly, a resolution was passed which contained five recommendations related to religious freedom. One of these recommendations emphasized caution in defining religion or “cults” by means of overly simplistic legal measures.
The ICRF, which advocates for religious freedom, began in the United States in the 1980s. Since 1998, which marked the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ICRF has conducted international conferences and other activities in Japan to support and promote Article 18, which pertains to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
The general assembly was prompted by the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe two years ago. In Japanese society, adherents of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification have faced threats to their religious freedom. These concerns were highlighted in the U.S. State Department’s annual report on religious freedom and were also discussed at an international academic conference held in France. As a result, the issue has gained attention on the global stage.
Marco Respinti is an Italian specialist in religious freedom and human rights and director of the magazine Bitter Winter, which has correspondents throughout China. He summarized the situation where the Family Federation faced a dissolution order from a Japanese court following the shooting incident involving former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as “absurd”. He emphasized that religious freedom is inviolable, transcending any authority – state, church, or organization – and constitutes an individual’s “primary political human right”.
Former Musashino Women’s University Professor Seishiro Sugihara (杉原誠四郎), an expert on the Religious Corporations Act, highlighted the 11th July Supreme Court ruling that rendered the personal pledge made by a donor to the Family Federation “invalid” after her death. Sugihara stressed that the current situation faced by the Family Federation should be brought to the attention of the United Nations.
Additionally, Pema Gyalpo [Editor’s note: Japanese political scientist, originally from Tibet], a visiting professor at Takushoku University [Editor’s note: private university in Tokyo] and the first representative of the Dalai Lama for the Asia-Pacific region, drew on his own experience of being in exile from Tibet and Chinese religious persecution. He asserted the critical importance of valuing “human dignity” in a democracy. The assembly was attended by 320 participants.
Featured image above: Pema Gyalpo speaks at the general assembly of the Japanese Committee for the International Coalition for Religious Freedom in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo on the afternoon of the 22nd July 2024. Photo: David Chan / Sekai Nippo
Related to Japan should be taken before UN: Inhuman Government-Supported Mass Deprogramming
Also related to Japan should be taken before UN: Scholar Condemns Violation of Minority Rights
More, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Collusion to Rob Minority of Its Rights
And more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: State and Media Creating “Today’s Non-Citizens”
Yet more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Malicious One-Sided Government Source Selection
Still more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Japan Criticized for Glaring Rights Violations
Even more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Japan Following the Way of China
And still more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: 12 Religious Freedom NGOs Denouncing Japan
And even more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Conference on Religious Freedom Violations
Still more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Japan: Threat to Religious Freedom
Even more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Call to End Witch Hunt
More, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Government’s Foul Play Pointed Out
Yet more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Japan Urged to Make U-Turn
More, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Japan: 4300 Abductions and Forcible Detentions
And more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Illegalities of Activist Lawyers Exposed
Yet more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Lawyers Manipulating, Coercing, Lying
Still more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Biased Information from Leftwing Lawyers
Even more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Dangerous Precedent to Crush Religions
Even more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Kyodo News: 100s of Rights Violations Claimed
Even more, related to Japan should be taken before UN: Fabricated Torts Part of Wily Strategy in Japan
