A Place to Heal: Children of Religious Followers

In 2022, former Japanese Prime Minister Abe was shot and killed while giving a campaign speech. As the shooter’s mother was a follower of the “Unification Church”, the incident brought widespread attention to the existence of the children of religious groups, and how their religious freedoms tend to be overlooked when their parents pass their faith on to them. Various media reports following the incident tended to merely sensationalize the peculiarities of such religious groups without discussing how to help. The young director explores what kind of support is needed for these children, depicting their experiences from the perspective of parent-child relationships as stories of universal relevance. The interviews reveal a range of social problems, including reduced educational and employment opportunities (due to religious activities being more important), and continuing mental instability even after leaving such groups. At the same time, due to Japanese society’s lack of understanding of, and prejudice toward, people of certain faiths, and even toward religion itself, it is often difficult for such children to consult anyone about their problems with social and other services. The program highlights how much those unable to connect with society at large turn to each other for support.