Japan Press Weekly

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2019 October 22 - 29 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Christians in Japan: Enthronement ceremonies violate constitutional principle of separation of state and religion

The National Christian Council in Japan (NCCJ) on October 21 held a press conference in Tokyo and protested that the new Emperor (Tenno) enthronement ceremonies violate the principle of separation of state and religion as stipulated in the Japanese Constitution.

Hoshide Takuya, chair of the NCCJ Committee on Yasukuni Shrine Issues, said, "The mythology-based ritual for the Tenno to become ruler of Japan distorts the principle of the current Constitution and also denies the people's 'freedom of right to disbelief'. We, Christians, are opposed to it."

Catholic Archbishop Emeritus Okada Takeo, NCCJ General Secretary Kim Sungjae, and Japan Evangelical Association's Social Commission Chair Kaminaka Sakae were also present at the press conference, representing Christianity's main groups.

Okada said, "The Catholic church in the past preached to its followers to 'die for the Tenno'. We won't repeat the same mistake. For this purpose, we will comply with the constitutional principle of Article 9 for war renunciation and of Article 20 for the separation of state and religion."

Kim said, "The present government interprets the religious ritual as Japanese 'custom and tradition' and convinces the public to believe it. If the Christian church accepts this, it will question my own faith."

Kaminaka said, "Democracy, peace, and freedom of faith are valuable things born in a protracted history of resistance. We must keep these values."