The Catholic Archbishop of Tokyo has warned that the modern-day assertion of “rights” related to abortion, assisted suicide and LGBT issues is being used to limit religious freedom in what he called “polite persecution”.
Speaking to Crux Now, Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi said that the principle of separation of church and state, enforced in Japan since the end of the Second World War, was sometimes taken to mean that religion has no place in the public realm.
“This makes it difficult for the Church to speak up regarding matters negatively affecting human dignity," he said.
The Church, he said, has been criticised as being “too political” when it has issued statements on issues such as abortion, nuclear weapons and the treatment of migrants.
“Religion is not recognized as a moral authority in this country and as long as we contain ourselves in the Church premises, we are considered harmless and fine," he said.
The cardinal added that the wary attitude of many Japanese towards religion has led some to suggest downplaying the faith motivation of charitable works.
As president of relief organisation Caritas Internationalis, Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, said, “At times, we are advised to avoid explicit Christian identification in order to prevent tension within the local context or to avoid arousing suspicion, as occurred in Japan after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
"However, this concerns a fundamental principle of Caritas. Our activities must be rooted in the Catholic understanding of human dignity, the sanctity of human life, and ethical values.”
Christianity has long been a minority religion in Japan, with only around one per cent of the population identifying as Christian.
