Unificationist Pledges to Keep Fighting for Fair Treatment at Japanese University

Abduction and forced confinement are not the only problems Unificationists face in Japan. Incoming university students sometimes face persecution or discrimination from bigoted faculty and administration employees. Many university authorities across Japan have made “cult counter-measure” presentations to show at student orientations for incoming freshmen. Posters titled “Beware of Cults” have a list of “dangerous cults” with the Unification Church included at the top of the list.

Hanayo Ito, a 24-year-old college student and CARP President of Chiba University, filed for arbitration on March 19, 2013 against the university for cases of religious persecution against second-generation Unificationist students.

Second-generation Unificationists who apply for admission to a university have high hopes and dreams when they enter their desired college. However, because the image of the Unification Church is negative, many second generations hesitate to reveal their religious identities throughout their college life. They also have a difficult time searching for jobs due to their beliefs. University professors have threatened the Collegiate Association for the Research of Principle (CARP) students by saying they will not receive credits for their classes, have their grades dropped or will not find employment. There are even university authorities who introduce cult experts to students in order to persuade them to break their Unificationists faith. The cult experts often support faith breakings by abduction, confinements and forced conversions.

Unificationist Hanayo Ito, a 24-year-old college student and CARP president at Chiba University, has been one of the brave second-generation Japanese sisters who has stood up to religious prosecution. During the summer of 2012, she visited New York and Maryland, to inform fellow church members and to seek help on the issue from fellow second- generation members. (An article about her was posted on the Family Federation website)

She had filed for court-assisted arbitration with Chiba University on March 19, 2013.

The following is a result of the arbitration hearing request Hanayo Ito sent to the court house against the Chiba University through a lawyer, posted on her Facebook wall:

“You may already know me from our university, and some of you may be surprised to read this post. I was born into the Unification Church as a second-generation; and I am currently the CARP president at Chiba University where I am a student. Because I was born into this religion, I am still questioning whether the faith I believe in is ‘right’ and wonder how I should live my life.

“It is going to be a long post, but I would like to write my honest feelings and truth. I have recently filed arbitration at the court.

“Chiba University has regarded new religions, including the Unification Church, as dangerous without knowing the actual religious situations. This kind of criticism has been going on and has been affecting the CARP members who have been working diligently to contribute to society. Individuals have been bullied, called out and have been receiving disturbances and threatened with disruptions of their academic courses. Many of us have endured these treatments and have kept silent for too long. You may know more detailed contents, because we have been taking public actions to gain recognition and understanding from Chiba University. However, it is a very complicated issue to handle with only the power of students. Therefore, we decided to ask a third-party lawyer to help us file this arbitration.

“The effort at arbitration failed; Chiba University was not willing to discuss anything with their students.

“Who and what are universities for? I am dreaming of becoming a university professor in the future. I believe universities are for people to explore and to gain higher understanding in academics, and to support the students’ motivation and enthusiasms -- not to protect the fame of the universities and their professors. I did not ask for arbitration to protect my own faith, but instead to ask for guaranteed protection of the freedom of religion. I thought it would be the best for Japan.

“I do not know if what I have been doing is right or wrong. If I am wrong, I will have to look back and change the way I live my life. I may even be able to start off a new life. However, if the actions I have taken were the correct thing to do, I will try my best to pursue justice.

“I would like to give hope to those people who are struggling with the same problem by showing there is a student who is trying to make a change to this reality.”

Ito asks for the understanding and support for her efforts from the American Unificationist members and other people of faith. The fight against religious persecution will continue until the day Japanese Unificationists can confidently witness on university campuses and pursue goals according to their religious beliefs.