Jan 6 – Jan 9 (last added Jan 27)
“Seiron”
産経新聞出版局, サンケイ出版, and 産業経済新聞社. 1973. 正論 産経新聞出版局. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/AN00370131.
- 2022 Feb, no articles mentioning this topic
- 2022 Mar, some articles touched on the concept of “family,” which seems deeply affected by doctrines of the “Unification Church” yet did not mention the term “Unification Church.”
- no mention of “Unification Church” until 2022 Oct
- 2022 Oct, mentioned “Unification Church” in some articles
- One mentioned the relationships between religious corporations and LDP since LDP is currently making a coalition with New Komeito, which has Soka Gakkai (Buddhism New Religious Movement in Japan) as a power base
- 阿比留瑠比. 「空気」が支配する日本社会の異常. 産経新聞社, 2022.
- One justified its relationships with the “Unification Church,” arguing how the impact of the church was small for the ruling party, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
- 八木秀次. 「反アベ」の狂気ここに極まれり. 産経新聞社, 2022.
- One criticized both right and left wings for this problem while partly praising the “Unification Church” related organizations’ works, primarily related to N. Korea’s kidnapping of the Japanese.
- 三浦小太郎. 旧統一教会問題の本質は何か. 産経新聞社, 2022.
After Oct 2022, they often discussed about this issue. On Jan 2023, they featured the “Unification Church” related issues.
Hanada (added Jan 27)
杉原誠四郎. “「統一教会魔女狩り報道」を断罪する.” 月刊Hanada 2023 2月号 : 76–81.
- 2023 Feb, “Condemning the ‘which hunt by media reports of the Unification Church’”
- Criticize the attitude of media and politics
- Insists the “Unification Church” had not recognized guilty by the court for the assassination of Shinzo Abe
- Criticize the government’s statement of “cutting off relations with Unification Church” before the order of dissolution (note: the order of dissolution haven’t released on Jan 27)
- Supports the doctrine of “Unification Church,” which advocates protecting “family” aside from their problematic spiritual sales
- Argue how Japanese hates religion after terrorism by Aum
- excerpts “Unification Church” related media’s opinion as “fair and reasonable”
Akahata (newspaper published by the Japanese Communist Party, JCP)
赤旗編集局, 日本共産党中央委員会機関紙誌業務部, and 日本共産党中央委員会出版局. 2004. しんぶん赤旗. 縮刷版[CD-ROM] ed. 日本共産党中央委員会機関紙誌業務部; 日本共産党中央委員会出版局 (発売). https://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/AA11954267.
- Skim from Oct 2022 to Dec 2022
- Every once or twice a week, they mentioned “Unification Church” and related columns, such as interviewing former followers of “Unification Church” or Jehovah’s Witnesses, viewpoints from professionals.
- They worked hard for this problem, but it may be because “Unification Church” has cooperated with LDP, and generally, Akahata newspaper tends to criticize LDP.
Oct 2022
| Day | Summary of Contents |
|---|---|
| Oct 1st | reporting the number of cases of “scamming” by “Unification Church” (1165 cases, 2012-2022/09) |
| Oct 2nd | the pamphlet that criticizes JCP was posted by “Unification Church” |
| Oct 3rd | advertising their publication focuses on the danger of the “Unification Church” |
| Oct 4th | accusing the cabinet members and opposition party’s diet member’s connection with the “Unification Church” |
| Oct 5th | criticizing cabinet members and the Chairperson of the Policy Research Council for their deep connection with the “Unification Church” |
| Oct 6th | reporting how the “Unification Church” approaches those who are interested in marriage |
| Oct 7th | accusing LDP of its relationships with the “Unification Church” |
| Oct 9th | how “Unification Chruch” built a relationship with Shinzo Abe |
| Oct 10th | accusing the governors of Toyama prefecture and Toyama city because of cooperation with the “Unification Church” during their election term |
| Oct 12th | reporting the lawyer’s group handed in the statement, which requests a dissolution order by the government |
| Oct 13th | criticizing the relationships between LDP and the “Unification Church” |
| Oct 17th | reporting how the followers of the “Unification Church” worked or recruited the secretary of a politician (member of the house of representatives) |
| Oct 18th | the movement of requesting an order of dissolution for “Unification Church;” too much donation for “Unification Church” |
| Oct 19th | accusing the LDP’s relationship with “Unification Church”; interview parents whose son once believed “Unification Church” but forced their son to leave |
| Oct 21st | reporting “Unification Church” confirmed its relationships with LDP members during the election |
| Oct 22nd | scoop the video from “Unification Church” that the president of “Unification Church” and LDP members, including cabinet members, are gathering in the same place and taking pictures smiling |
| Oct 23rd | focused on “Unification Church’s” project building a highway between Korea and Japan |
| Oct 25th | criticizing cabinet members who stepped down from their position because of not enough explanation for its relationships with “Unification Church”; accusing the LDP’s relationship with “Unification Church,” including local authorities |
| Oct 26th | criticizing cabinet member who stepped down from its position because of not enough explanation for its relationships with the “Unification Church” |
| Oct 27th | reporting LDP’s relationship with “Unification Church” during the last election for the house of representatives; focusing on awarding the person who worked for “Unification Church” related school running at Mozambique |
| Oct 28th | accusing the LDP’s relationship with “Unification Church”; the press conference by the “second generation” of “Unification Church” and the interview for ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses |
| Oct 29th | the press conference by The Japan Society for Cult Prevention and Recovery requests making the guideline for spiritual abuse |
Nov 2022
| Day | Summary of Contents |
|---|---|
| Nov 1 | Insider documents state, “donation is Japaneses’ responsibility” |
| Nov 2 | Insider documents say, “sacrifice Japanese for Korea” |
| Nov 3 | accusing the LDP’s relationship with the “Unification Church” at the Kumamoto prefecture |
| Nov 6 | focus on the “second generation,” how they were badly treated on “Syuren(similar to summer camp but more spiritual)” in Korea |
| Nov 7 | accusing the LDP’s relationship with the “Unification Church,” especially the LDP’s position of significant responsibility |
| Nov 8 | focus on the hearing from ex “Unification Church” and Jehovah’s Witnesses by the opposition parties in the house of representatives, the importance of making a clear guideline for spiritual abuse |
| Nov 9 | the Prime Minister said the “rescue bill” for victims of spiritual sales would deliberate on this session of Diet |
| Nov 12 | the government sent 9.55M JPY for a “Unification Church” related school in Senegal as ODA |
| Nov 18 | illegal nature of “Unification Church’s” activities (preaching, donation, spiritual sales, etc.) based on past court cases |
| Nov 19 | reporting the abstract of the “rescue bill” |
| Nov 22 | “second generation” experiences violating of human rights based on religious activities through online investigation |
| Nov 23 | Experience of one ex “Unification Church” member, including hiding sexual assault when they were committing religious activities |
| Nov 26 | accusing the LDP’s relationship with “Unification Church”; experience of one ex “Unification Church” member, traumatic experience during college, including physical assault |
| Nov 28 | Reporting the event that discussed the media’s attitude towards “Unification Church” related problems |
| Day | Summary of Contents |
|---|---|
| Dec 1 | Require to recoup of an ODA for Senegal due to its relationships with the “Unification Church” |
| Dec 3 | Ask for reconsideration of the “rescue bill” to make it more “effective” |
| Dec 4 | Reports the discussion table named “reveal Unification Church’s reality,” which JCP diet members joined |
| Dec 5 | Focuses on adoption organized by the “Unification Church,” which violates Japanese law that controls adoption agency |
| Dec 6 | Ask for reconsideration of the “rescue bill” to make it more “effective” – especially restrictions against donation |
| Dec 7 | Ask for reconsideration of the “rescue bill” to make it more “effective” |
| Dec 8 | Ask for reconsideration of the “rescue bill” to make it more “effective” |
| Dec 9 | Ask for reconsideration of the “rescue bill” to make it more “effective” despite the Diet enacted “rescue bill” |
| Dec 10 | Reports signature-collecting campaign which asks the government to dissolve the corporate status of “Unification Church” |
| Dec 11 | Ask for reconsideration of “rescue bill” to make it more “effective” despite the Diet had enacted “rescue bill” and had ended |
| Dec 24 | Examining why a considerable amount of “victims” of “Unification Church” is female |
| Dec 27 | Reports the petition by “second-generation” that asks governments to make “rescue bill” more “effective” |
| Dec 28 | Reports the Guidelines for Spiritual-related Child Abuses by MHLW |
| Dec 31 | Reports the petition led by the former president of “Unification Church” that asks the government to reconsider the order to dissolve the religious corporation |
My reflection on this reading
Left-side newspapers tend to criticize conservatives due to “connection with ‘Unification Church’ related organizations,” however, left-side newspapers often interviewed or introduced “second-generations” perspectives. Personally, those “second generations” should also be aware of making connections with certain political sides; otherwise, they are doing the same thing as the “Unification Church” did.