A report indicates a rise in coercive deprogramming of religious members in South Korea. Data suggests a reversal in the declining trend of abductions, with numerous cases recorded recently. This increase is linked to a political climate supportive of anti-cult campaigns following government actions against specific groups. The practice involves an alliance of local pastors, foreign lawyers, and officials. Victims describe confinement, physical abuse, and isolation, often orchestrated by family members and guided by deprogrammers. Adults are kidnapped to force renunciation of their faith, raising serious human rights concerns in the region.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Anne Nygård on UnsplashPersecuted church
A sociologist reports that nations in East Asia have formed an alliance against specific religious groups. Officials from one country, lawyers from another, and pastors from a third cooperate to target organizations like the Family Federation and Shincheonji. This collaboration aims to suppress religious freedom and influence political outcomes in the region. The author argues that despite ideological differences, these groups share common enemies. The alliance has led to legal actions and arrests in South Korea. The sociologist warns that this cooperation threatens religious liberty and regional stability in East Asia.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by chen zy on UnsplashPersecuted church
A coalition involving officials from China, leftist lawyers in Japan, and anti-cult pastors in South Korea has targeted conservative religious groups across East Asia. This strategic partnership sees Beijing supporting Korean activists to suppress missionary activities and manage refugees. Key figures include a prominent pastor and an attorney. This alliance contributed to the dissolution of a major religious organization in Japan and the prosecution of its leaders in South Korea. The group claims to combat heresy through deprogramming and legal pressure, effectively coordinating across borders to restrict religious liberty.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Cuvii on UnsplashPersecuted church
Pastor Haruhisa Nakagawa of Tokyo has reversed his stance on the Family Federation, formerly the Unification Church, after investigating claims of forced confinement. According to the Bitter Winter report, Nakagawa initially supported anti-cult activism but changed his view after witnessing the group's internal life and speaking with victims. He states that over 4,000 Japanese believers were subjected to abduction and deprogramming, a crisis he argues has been ignored by Japanese society. Nakagawa now advocates for recognizing these acts as human rights violations and holding perpetrators accountable, challenging the prevailing public narrative that portrays the religious group solely as a perpetrator.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Cuvii on UnsplashPersecuted church
In Japan, literary critic Eitaro Ogawa and scholar Tsutomu Nishioka discuss the lack of resistance to the government's dissolution order against the Unification Church. According to the article, religious leaders failed to defend freedom of belief during the process. The dialogue also examines historical debates under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe regarding comfort women claims and North Korean abductions. Nishioka argues that public opinion unfairly blamed the church for the killer of Abe, ignoring individual responsibility for donations. The outlet reports that the conversation highlights concerns about media pressure and the erosion of pluralism in Japanese society.
The Japan Evangelistic Alliance has released materials for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Citing Open Doors data, the organization urges Christians to pray for believers in Syria, Iran, and Iraq. These regions face severe violence and displacement, with millions fleeing since 2000. The materials highlight specific stories, such as a family surviving an ISIS-linked bombing in a Middle Eastern city. The JEA emphasizes that despite high persecution levels, remaining communities maintain their faith. The organization encourages churches to use the provided resources for prayer and reflection on these global challenges.
At the CESNUR 2026 conference in Taiwan, speakers analyzed the dissolution of the Unification Church in Japan. Shunsuke Uotani described how pastors, parents, and left-wing lawyers formed a coalition against the group. Masaki Nakamasa explained how media narratives portrayed the church as a conspiracy. Masaichi Hori reported that the court order has severely restricted worship and caused widespread psychological distress among believers. According to Hori, the dissolution has led to discrimination and health issues, contradicting official claims that only tax privileges were affected.
The Council of Churches in Japan (NCC) sent a protest letter to Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita and Immigration Services Agency Director Takaji Nishiyama on June 6. The NCC opposes recent fee increases and stricter permanent residency guidelines under the revised Immigration Control Act. The organization argues that higher costs, such as a 200,000 yen fee for permanent residency, hinder small churches from hosting missionaries and threaten the stable lives of foreign residents. The NCC demands a reversal of the fee hikes, a review of the stricter rules, and a forum to hear opinions from affected communities and supporting groups.
Toru Goto testified in The Hague on September 21 about enduring 4,536 days of forced confinement in Japan. According to Human Rights Without Frontiers, Goto was abducted by family members in 1995 and held in secret apartments in Niigata and Tokyo to force him to renounce his Unification Church faith. The outlet reports that professional deprogrammers subjected him to psychological abuse and physical neglect. Goto was released in 2008 after his captors realized they could not break his resolve. His testimony highlights a systemic issue where Japanese authorities previously ignored such abductions as private family disputes.
In Japan, the dissolution of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification followed a sudden shift in government policy driven by media pressure. Professor Tsutomu Nishioka and critic Eitaro Ogawa argue that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration abandoned legal principles to appease public anger. Nishioka warns that this precedent threatens freedom of belief for all religious groups. He attributes the lack of opposition to decades of left-wing influence within Japanese Christianity. The authors contend that citizens and scholars must speak out to protect religious liberty from political convenience and media-driven conformity. This case highlights concerns about judicial oversight and the erosion of constitutional protections for minority religions in the country.
According to Human Rights Without Frontiers, Chinese authorities sentenced three Protestant house church leaders in a province to prison for illegal gatherings. In Tibet, officials reported demolishing over a thousand residences at a major monastery. Additionally, a pastor and six others were detained in a city, while a practitioner received an 18-month sentence in another region. These events highlight ongoing restrictions on religious practice across China. The outlet also noted the release of a pastor after detention and a global prayer event in a city supporting persecuted Christians in the country.
Masaki Nakamasa, a former member of the Unification Church in Japan, argues that the state dissolved the Family Federation without adequate public debate. Speaking with literary critic Ogawa Eitaro, Nakamasa contends that Japanese courts improperly interpreted religious doctrine as evidence of future wrongdoing. He asserts that this approach violates church-state separation principles and due process rights. The scholar notes that media and academics failed to explain these legal distinctions, allowing emotional reactions to replace factual analysis. Consequently, the dissolution proceeded through non-contentious proceedings that disadvantaged the religious group. Nakamasa warns that this sets a dangerous precedent for state intervention in private religious beliefs.
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Good news
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Lucas Calloch on UnsplashGood news
Student volunteers are arriving in Sapporo, Japan, this month to assist local churches with outreach activities. According to the IMB, team leaders connected with the student group at a Baptist gathering in the United States a year ago. The group plans to host events such as an English cafe and park games to engage the community. At least one team member has prior experience in Japan and speaks Japanese. The IMB reports that the team hopes these interactions will open doors for the gospel and encourage Japanese students to visit churches. The organization emphasizes the goal of fostering curiosity about faith and welcoming new faces into local church communities.
The International Mission Board reports that summer activities in East Asia, including trekking and sports tournaments, allowed team members to share the gospel with many people. The organization notes that these outreach efforts reached individuals in China, Taiwan, Mongolia, South Korea, and Japan. As the monsoon season begins, the IMB encourages supporters to ask for wisdom for staff regarding follow-up strategies. The group specifically highlights three young women who received copies of the Bible, urging that they read the text daily and come to faith. The outlet frames these updates as opportunities for prayer and spiritual support.
A missionary team in Osaka, Japan, reports a significant increase in interest in Christian events after years of low attendance. The team notes that strangers are now joining gatherings spontaneously following street evangelism efforts. Additionally, local college students are showing greater boldness in sharing their faith. The group recently baptized five new believers, marking a shift after decades of perceived spiritual stagnation. They attribute this change to answered prayers for a harvest in the region and are seeking wisdom to disciple these new converts effectively.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Cuvii on UnsplashGood news
The Christian band Night de Light, based in Sapporo, Japan, recently performed for elementary school students. Three of the four members are pastors. Before the concert, a representative from a suicide prevention hotline spoke to the children about the value of life. The band then performed music that resonated with the students' daily experiences. The children actively participated by clapping along. The group says the performance allowed them to share the message of Christ in an accessible way. This event highlights ongoing efforts to bring hope to youth in the region through music and community engagement.
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Illustrative photo, not from the original report · Photo by Se. Tsuchiya on UnsplashGood news
The Kobe/Hyogo Team announced that a volunteer group from Louisiana is scheduled to travel to Japan in October. The team requested prayers for the volunteers' safety and for their work to be fruitful. They hope the visitors will build strong connections with local churches and provide encouragement to ministries. The group emphasized that the visit should be meaningful for both the volunteers and the local team. This initiative aims to strengthen ties between the Louisiana volunteers and the Japanese church community.
The Hiroshima Team, writing for the International Mission Board, reports that prayers for additional harvest laborers in Hiroshima, Japan, were answered last month. The group now asks supporters to pray for new families relocating to the area. They seek help for these families to settle quickly and build strong connections with local residents, particularly Christians. The team also requests prayers that more individuals will become 'people of peace' as defined in Luke 10:6, facilitating further missionary work in Hiroshima and surrounding regions. This update highlights ongoing efforts to expand community ties and support new arrivals in the Japanese mission field.
The International Mission Board's West Japan Team is preparing to launch an evangelism training program in Fukuoka, Japan, next month. The initiative aims to invite local believers and churches to learn disciple-making strategies. The group is seeking prayers for the success of the preparations and for participants to feel a strong calling to attend. They also hope the training will raise up Japanese laborers for the harvest field and strengthen the faith of Christians in the region regarding the power of the gospel. This event represents a significant goal for the team's regional outreach efforts.
A team of eight adults from Virginia is returning to Sapporo, Japan, for a new mission trip. According to the Sapporo Team, the group previously visited twice, focusing on prayerwalks and community aid. This visit targets a small church in northern Sapporo to support weekly free playtime for children. The volunteers also plan to pray over the city from a mountaintop and encourage local pastors. The team states that working with missionaries and churches strengthens their partnership in sharing the gospel. They ask for support for this continued collaboration.
The Yokohama Team and a local Japanese church are launching a new church plant in Yokohama, Japan. They are using bread-making classes, fitness programs, and board game nights to engage the community. These activities aim to build genuine friendships and trust. The group hopes these shared interests will lead to deeper spiritual conversations. Participants may be invited to Bible Cafe gatherings to explore Scripture. The team seeks to establish a new church by sharing their faith through these entry points. This approach focuses on creating meaningful connections before discussing religious topics.
Jared Mallet, a missionary with the International Mission Board, is working in Japan to foster cooperation among local Deaf churches. He aims to unite these congregations to better share the gospel with the Deaf community across the country. Mallet considers this effort urgent and vital for evangelism and discipleship. The IMB reports that he is seeking spiritual support to help these groups overcome barriers and work together with a shared vision for reaching Deaf people in Japan. This initiative focuses on building partnerships to enhance their collective mission.
A missionary couple serving with the Osaka City Team in Japan reports significant progress in their campus ministry since April. According to their update, they have connected with nearly 900 university students and shared the gospel over 350 times, including approximately 175 one-on-one appointments. The team notes that two students have recently placed their faith in Christ, while others appear close to conversion. They are currently following up with interested students and seeking wisdom for future discipleship efforts. The missionaries describe feeling tired but encouraged by the work they have witnessed so far.
Members of the Kobe/Hyogo Team served at a Vacation Bible School in Kobe, Japan, using Lifeway curriculum. The two-week program reached many children, with approximately ten expressing interest in following Jesus. The team is now beginning follow-up with these children and their families. They are discerning whether to pursue a long-term partnership with the Christian international school. Additionally, the group highlighted a leadership transition at a partner church, where the lead pastor is stepping down due to health concerns, creating a gap in children's ministry. The team seeks wisdom for future engagement and support for the local church's transition. (Source: IMB)
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