Japan Establishes Guidelines to Prevent Child Abuse from Parental 'Religious Coercion'

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: "Forcing Religion on Children Constitutes Child Abuse"
Social Issue Arises Following the Assassination of Former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo

Last July, a man who shot former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with a firearm in Nara Prefecture, Japan, was subdued by security guards immediately after the incident. The man stated that his family was destroyed because his mother was a member of the Unification Church and became deeply involved in the religion. Nara=Reuters·Yonhap News Agency

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] The Japanese government announced that it will implement guidelines for the first time to understand the reality of parental religious coercion and child abuse and to prevent them. The issue of so-called "religious second-generation" victims, who have suffered abuse and neglect due to excessive religious devotion, has come to the forefront following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, prompting the government to take direct action in establishing countermeasures.

According to the Asahi Shimbun on the 27th, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare plans to compile guidelines for religious second-generation individuals who have suffered various abuses, neglect, and abandonment from parents excessively devoted to faith, and notify local governments nationwide on the same day. The guidelines to be distributed this time include specific cases of child abuse caused by parental religious coercion, presented in a Q&A format.

Large Donations to Religious Groups... Children Suffer from Malnutrition

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare disclosed cases of abuse caused by religious coercion through the newly presented guidelines. Forcing children to participate in religious activities with threats such as "If you don't believe, you will go to hell," preventing marriage or education due to religion, or instilling strong fear by calling the child's friends or teachers "Satan" all constitute child abuse. The ministry explicitly states in the guidelines that refusing medical treatment such as blood transfusions on religious grounds is considered neglect.

According to victim cases revealed by the ministry, a woman in her 30s living in the Chugoku region was abused from childhood under parents who were members of the Unification Church. When her parents donated large sums of money to the religious group, the household finances became strained, resulting in malnutrition due to inadequate meals, and she was forced to participate in religious activities, even being dragged away from playing with friends.

Another victim, a man in his 30s living in the Kanto region, was raised by parents belonging to a religious group that emphasized strict doctrines. Following the belief that children could be whipped for discipline, he endured severe corporal punishment for dozing off during worship.

Additionally, the guidelines will include provisions for local government administrative officials to establish a system to share information with the police, considering the possibility of assault or injury charges, and to prioritize the child's safety by reviewing temporary protection or suspension of parental rights.

Became a Social Issue After Abe’s Assassination

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The issue of religious second-generation individuals emerged as a social problem in Japan following the assassination of former Prime Minister Abe. The suspect who killed Abe, Tetsuya Yamagami, stated to the police that after his mother became a member of the Unification Church and donated large sums of money, the family went bankrupt, and he harbored resentment toward the church, which led to the crime.

After Abe’s assassination, religious second-generation individuals have revealed human rights violations to the National Diet and urged the enactment of victim relief laws. According to a survey conducted by the social research support organization Chikirabo from September 9 to 19 targeting religious second-generation individuals, 80% responded that their families had restricted their dating or friendships due to faith, and over 80% of Jehovah’s Witnesses second-generation respondents reported experiencing corporal punishment from family members.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.