Panel exhibition reveals the horrors of persecution in Japan, the land of abduction, confinement, and forcible faith-breaking
Tokyo, 19th November 2024 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article.
Former Unification Church Raises Awareness About the Horrors of Religious Persecution
Panel Exhibition in Kitakyushu on Abduction, Confinement, and Forcible Faith-Breaking
by the editorial department of Sekai Nippo
prepared by Knut Holdhus
A panel exhibition showcasing the reality of religious persecution faced by members of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU, formerly known as the Unification Church) was held on 17th and 18th November on the second floor of the south exit of Kokura station in Kitakyushu. The exhibition, titled “Abduction, Confinement, and Forcible Faith-Breaking”, was organized by the “Kitakyushu Citizens’ Association to Protect Human Rights and Religious Freedom”. Many members of the association provided explanations of the panels to passersby, highlighting the horrors of abduction and forcible detention.
Among the panels depicting the intensity of the persecution was an image of Toru Goto (後藤 徹), who was held in confinement by his relatives in a single apartment room for 12 years and 5 months but still refused to renounce his faith. The panel showed his emaciated appearance. One of the organizers said, “When people saw the panel of Toru Goto, they were shocked to realize that something like this could happen so close to home. And when we told them about cases like a woman who developed severe atopic dermatitis due to her confinement and passed away at the age of 48, they listened attentively.”
On Sunday, with many tourists and shoppers passing by, 750 flyers introducing the activities of the above-mentioned association were distributed. The person in charge said, “We want people to understand our daily activities. Currently, there is an ongoing dispute due to the Kitakyushu City Council’s resolution to sever ties with the Family Federation. We want people to understand the details of that issue as well.”
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Featured image above: A panel exhibition on victims of abduction held at the south exit of Kokura Station in Kitakyushu City on the southern island of Kyushu, Japan on 18th November 2024. Photo: Kennosuke Teraguchi (寺口賢之介)