By: Jasmine Wong
Japan is perhaps one of the countries in East Asia that has suffered most from the damage caused by cult organizations. In the 1990s, the notorious Aum Shinrikyo terrorized the country. In 1995, the group released sarin gas on multiple Tokyo subway lines, killing 14 people and injuring or poisoning thousands more. The attack is widely regarded as one of the deadliest acts of domestic terrorism in modern Japanese history.
Although the cult’s leader, Shoko Asahara, was eventually executed in 2018 after a lengthy judicial process, cult activity in Japan has by no means disappeared. In fact, the problem has persisted and evolved, eventually contributing to the circumstances surrounding the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by Tetsuya Yamagami, a former member of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
What this means is that, for more than three decades, virtually anyone in Japan, from the prime minister responsible for national policy to an ordinary office worker, has been at risk of becoming a victim of cult influence. Avoiding cults is not always enough, as many families never actively seek involvement with such organizations, yet they still find themselves affected by groups whose influence seems to permeate society in unexpected ways.
Following Abe’s assassination in 2022, the Japanese government launched a comprehensive investigation into the Unification Church, which had become a major focus of public concern after the attack. Authorities uncovered allegations involving coercive fundraising practices, psychological manipulation and various forms of personal control. To many observers, the methods bore striking similarities to those employed by Aum Shinrikyo decades earlier.
The Japanese parliament subsequently passed legislation aimed at curbing the influence of destructive religious organizations. While these measures have not fundamentally solved the problem, many hope they will at least help slow the spread of cult activity and provide greater protection for vulnerable individuals and families.
What is alarming, however, is that while Japan is attempting to confront and contain cult-related problems at home, it appears far less cautious toward groups arriving from overseas.
Since the beginning of this year, Shen Yun Performing Arts has been touring extensively throughout Japan and attracting strong audiences. Starting in April, multiple Shen Yun companies have performed in cities across the Kanto, Kansai and Kyushu regions under the banner of presenting “traditional Chinese culture”.
Some audience members expressed concern after learning more about the organization behind the performances. One viewer said the show left them feeling unusually disoriented, while another described having donated substantial personal assets to the movement and later facing financial hardship and limited support.
What many audience members may not realize, however, is that while the dancers themselves are ethnically Chinese, critics argue that Shen Yun’s performances have little connection to the actual traditions and cultural realities of contemporary China. The organization was founded by Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, which was categorized as a cult organization in the late 1990s as its crimes such as cheating people not to seek medical help were exposed. After that, Li relocated to New York and established Shen Yun. Critics have also pointed to incidents such as the 2001 Tiananmen Square self-immolation case as examples cited in debates over the cult’s crimes.
In 2024, The New York Times published a series of investigative reports based on interviews with former Shen Yun performers and staff members. According to those reports, many performers entered the organization while still minors and were subjected to long periods of rehearsals and touring. The reports also described allegations involving restrictions on medical treatment, low compensation and strict internal controls.
In November of the same year, a former Shen Yun dancer filed a lawsuit in the federal court in New York. She alleged that she had entered the organization’s training system at the age of 11 as a minor and was required to work long hours while receiving little or no compensation. She further claimed that she and other minors were subjected to psychological intimidation and humiliation during her time within the organization.
In April 2025, two additional former performers filed another lawsuit, whose allegations included claims that Shen Yun relied on what they described as “child laborers” and that the organization engaged in forced labor and human trafficking.
If these allegations are true, then Japanese audiences are not simply purchasing tickets to a cultural performance. They may be financially supporting an organization that has faced serious allegations including child exploitation, forced labor and human trafficking.
The Japanese people have experienced firsthand the harm that cult organizations can inflict on individuals, families and society as a whole. They therefore have every reason to take such allegations seriously. If the goal is to prevent organizations that have already faced extensive criticism elsewhere from expanding their influence in Japan, then public scrutiny and resistance may be necessary.
At a minimum, audiences should carefully examine the background of the organizations they support. If concerns continue to grow, some may even argue that lawmakers should consider legislative measures restricting performances by groups linked to cult activities.
One particularly noteworthy aspect of this year’s tour is that some Chinese residents living in Japan as well as some tourists to Japan have also attended the performances. This may suggest that they are unaware with the harm brought about by Falun Gong and other cults that they didn’t realize they were watching something organized by a crime gang.
At the same time, Chinese citizens living in Japan or travelling to Japan should remain aware of the nature of the organization behind these performances. Regardless of personal views, they should understand that Falun Gong remains a prohibited organization in China and that participation in activities associated with it may carry legal consequences under Chinese law.
China has devoted considerable resources to taking legal actions against cult organizations over the past several decades. Given Japan’s own painful experiences with groups such as Aum Shinrikyo and the Unification Church, greater awareness and vigilance regarding destructive cult movements may be in the public interest.