Japan: head pastor of the Seishin Chuo Church sentenced to twenty years, the court finding victims believed disobeying him meant disobeying God

Cited record

Sources

reference work · encyclopaedia summary of judgment 『聖神中央教会事件』, Japanese Wikipedia (accessed 28 July 2026).

Japanese-language reference account of the case. Records that the head pastor of the Seishin Chuo Church was charged with rape, attempted rape and quasi-rape over twenty-two sexual assaults on seven underage girl members; that the Kyoto District Court sentenced him to twenty years' imprisonment on 21 February 2006; and that the sentence became final on 8 March 2006 after no appeal was filed. Reproduces the court's finding that he 'abused his position as head pastor whom victims regarded as close to God, repeatedly committing these acts habitually', and that the victims believed disobeying the defendant meant disobeying God and that refusal meant falling into terrible hell, making resistance impossible.

reference work · encyclopaedia summary of judgment 『聖神中央教会事件』, Weblio 辞書 (accessed 28 July 2026).

Independent Japanese reference entry corroborating the same facts: the church was based in Kyoto, the head pastor was a Korean resident of Japan, the sentence was twenty years, the Kyoto District Court delivered the verdict on 21 February 2006 and it became final on 8 March 2006 when the defendant declined to appeal. Gives the judgment language verbatim: 「被害者が神に近い存在として見ていた主管牧師の地位を乱用して常習的に犯行を繰り返していたもので、性犯罪の中でも類を見ないほど悪質」. Also records that two women officials of the church were arrested.