We have learned that lawyers engaged in support activities have received multiple consultations from second-generation members of the former Unification Church saying, "I am worried about being adopted based on the doctrine."
Experts point out that the administration should proceed with the investigation, as there is a suspicion that there is a legal problem with the adoption done by the cult.
Regarding the former Unification Church, former believers and their families have complained of damages such as large donations and unwanted coercion of faith.
In response to this, the Diet is discussing a new bill to regulate malicious donations to help victims, and the government has decided to exercise the "right to question" based on the Religious Corporations Law. rice field.
Under these circumstances, a lawyer who is engaged in support activities from second-generation members of the former Unification Church received multiple consultations saying, "I am worried about being adopted by a family of believers based on the doctrine." I mean it started.
Confessions of a Nisei Ex-Believers: “Two Little Sisters Were Adopted by Another Believer Family”
A woman who is a former Nisei believer who is claiming damage under the name of "Sayuri Ogawa" revealed for the first time in an NHK interview that her two younger sisters were adopted by another believer's family.
Ms. Ogawa is the third eldest of six siblings, but her two younger sisters were adopted by another believer's family shortly after they were born, and they are said to have grown up as four siblings.
Regarding the circumstances behind her sister's adoption, she said, "It was decided that I would give my sister up for adoption before she gave birth, and when my mother became pregnant, I was told by a person in a higher position in the church, 'Because there are families of believers who are not blessed with children, I heard that they asked me if I could give them my child,” she testified.
According to Ogawa, her adoptive mother had been living with her and preparing for her birth before she gave birth.
On the other hand, she met her sister, who was adopted into another family, several years ago, and she said she felt that she was growing up in a warm home.
Mr. Ogawa, who used to be passionate about his faith, having won second place in the cult's speech contest, says that adoption itself is a necessary system, and says, ``In the ideology of the Unification Church, the 'three great blessings' are the purpose of life for believers. The second of these is ``procreation of children. I think there are people living happily in the future, but I feel that children can be happy by following the doctrine."
What is Adoption Based on the Old Unification Church Doctrine?
The Old Unification Church doctrine states that procreation is God's purpose of creation, and videos and publications for believers explain "adoption."
Among them, the video "Blessed Marriage Q&A that can be understood in about 5 minutes" is introduced in the form of answering the question, "I can't have a child after a blessed marriage. Can I adopt?"
Inside, it says, "For various reasons, there are times when we cannot have children. True Parents have given us permission to adopt children in order to resolve this issue."
It also states, “Blessed families who have received the gift of children from heaven have the mission and responsibility to share the blessing with those who have not been blessed with children.”
In addition, the handbook, which provides guidelines for living a religious life, also states, "It is most desirable to exchange a promise to adopt a child before the donor's pregnancy," and recommends pregnancy on the premise that the child will be adopted.
It also contains content that suggests that the cult is involved in the adoption, such as ``If both families reach an agreement, they must report to the home education bureau.''
Furthermore, on the former Unification Church's SNS, it was also written that the family of believers who adopted three or more children was commended.
Evidence from the investigation
Lawyer Katsuomi Abe of the "National Association of Lawyers Against Psychic Marketing", which is engaged in support activities for former Unification Church members, has embarked on an investigation after receiving multiple consultations from second generations regarding adoption. rice field.
According to the interviews conducted so far, "I had a child for adoption," "There is a family of believers who adopted four out of ten siblings," and "For families with three or more children, the cult It is said that the testimony was received that the side called out, 'I want you to give me up for adoption.'
In even more serious cases, some Nisei even attempted suicide after suffering.
Attorney Abe pointed out that it may be against the purpose of the minor adoption system, which emphasizes the interests of the child, and said, ``I think adoption is originally a system for the welfare of children. They think that what they are doing is to achieve a religious purpose, and they don't think about the welfare of their children.I think that's the biggest problem."
Masayuki Tanamura, a professor at Waseda University who is familiar with the civil law and adoption system, said, "Recommending that a child should be adopted from the time of pregnancy or even before the child's birth is in itself a way that goes against the welfare of the child. "I don't take the well-being and interests of my children seriously," he said.
On top of that, he said, ``The purpose of adopting a child to a childless family, the religious implications, and the method of procedure in accordance with the law are shown in detail, so it may be considered mediation. The government must protect the interests of children, and is in a position to check whether the law is properly complied with and proper activities are being carried out. I was talking.
Significance of the adoption system
The significance of the adoption system in child welfare is to have children who are not blessed with a home grow up in a warm and healthy home.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, adoption mediation is the act of mediating between parents and children to take care of them as a third party so that the adoption process goes smoothly. , It is stipulated by law that it is necessary to obtain permission from the prefecture if it is performed repeatedly and continuously for a certain purpose.
Even after obtaining permission, prefectures can conduct on-site inspections as necessary, and criminal penalties have been established for conducting mediation business without permission.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said, ``If you repeatedly and continuously take care of adoptions as a third party without obtaining permission, you are in violation of the mediation law. I can think of it, ”he commented.
"Family Federation for World Peace and Unification" Old Unification Church
The ``Family Federation for World Peace and Unification'' former Unification Church revealed that 745 children have been adopted so far, and ``adoptions are conducted through close exchanges between the adoptive family and the adoptive family. However, it is done with the hope of the happiness of the second generation who will be adopted, and the point that ``adopted children are for the sake of their parents' faith'' is not true."
Regarding mediation, he said, "The adoption system conducted by this corporation is different in nature from adoptions by private mediation agencies, and the church that mediates the adoption does not receive any financial reward. For the above reasons, we have not received approval from private mediation agencies."