Panel of speakers in a large Japanese city discussing convergence of power: How courts, media, and politics shape the narrative. Were they colluding against the Family Federation?
Tokyo, 15th May 2025 – Published as an article in the Japanese newspaper Sekai Nippo. Republished with permission. Translated from Japanese. Original article.
Media’s False Image Triggered the Dissolution of the Family Federation
Symposium on Religion, Media, and Human Rights Held in Toyama
by the editorial department of Sekai Nippo
Prepared by Knut Holdhus
A public symposium titled “Considering Religion, Media, and Human Rights” was held on 14th May at the Toyama Family Church of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church) in Toyama City.
Speakers included author Fumihiro Kato (加藤文宏); Toru Goto (後藤徹), a member and representative of the National Association of Victims of Abduction and Forced De-Conversion; and Mamoru Kamono (鴨野守), a freelance journalist and executive director of the Toyama Peace Ambassadors Council, a group related to the religious organization.
The speakers shared the view that distorted media reporting contributed to the court’s decision to issue a dissolution order for the Family Federation.
Kato argued that, following the 2022 shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (安倍晋三), the media suddenly began reporting on ties between the religious organization and politicians, creating a “false image” of the organization. He warned, “At this point, it’s as if Family Federation members no longer have human rights. Unless politicians, the judiciary, and the media correct themselves, this issue will persist for decades.”
Kamono claimed that the Kishida administration’s declaration of severing ties with the organization was the result of media going wild, and he appealed to the journalists present: “Please report on religion and faith without prejudice.”
Toru Goto, who was a victim of abduction and confinement for 12 years and 5 months, criticized the Tokyo District Court’s dissolution ruling for not considering cases of abduction and confinement. He warned, “If things stay as they are, it will become socially acceptable to confine people just because they are Unification Church members.”
He emphasized, “This is not a problem concerning just one religious organization.”
The symposium was hosted by the Toyama Peace Ambassadors Council, and about 150 people attended. According to organizers, holding a public symposium inside a church facility is rare even on a national level. They stated, “We wanted members of the media to see the church as it truly is.”
Featured image above: From left: Mamoru Kamono (鴨野守), Fumihiro Kato (加藤文宏), and Toru Goto (後藤徹) participate in a panel discussion at the Toyama Family Church on 14th May 2025. Photo: Tsuyoshi Toyoda (豊田剛)