Japanese cardinal denies knowledge of sexual abuse case
MUMBAI, India – Cardinal Isao Kikuchi says he had no knowledge of about a case of a woman who was allegedly sexually abused by a priest.
According to 64-year-old Tokie Tanaka, the abuse began in 2012 after she went to confession with a Chilean priest at a church in the city of Nagasaki. She told the priest she had been sexually assaulted as a child.
The woman filed a civil lawsuit in 2023 against the Society of the Divine Word, saying the priest sexually abused her over a period of 4½ years. The priest had returned to his native Chile.
On Friday she said Kikuchi, who heads the congregation, ignored her repeated pleas to take stricter measures against the priest.
“During that time, Mr. Kikuchi was also affiliated with the same congregation as the priest and at the same time, held the position of Archbishop of Tokyo. Therefore, it is difficult to believe that he was unaware of the case or in a position to say that he was not responsible,” said Kazue Akita, her lawyer, as reported The Japan Times.
“The incident happened in 2012, when I was a bishop of Niigata,” Kikuchi told Crux.
“The incident took place in Nagasaki Archdiocese. When the priest was sanctioned in Nagoya Diocese by SVD superior, I was still in Niigata,” he said.
The Japanese cardinal is currently in Rome awaiting the Conclave to elect a new pope, which begins on Wednesday.
“First and most, I would like to express that I am feeling sorry to the victim that she has not been treated justly by the religious congregation and my anger to the priest who violated the dignity of the vulnerable,” he said.
“However, I also declare that I have no knowledge of this incident until I read it in Asahi newspaper in last year. And I have no contact with the victim, I don’t know who she is, where she lives. The victim nor the lawyer never contacted me to demand any action. Therefore, I have nothing to cover up,” Kikuchi continued.
The cardinal said the case against the Society of the Divine Word involved the headquarters in Rome, “and I have no jurisdiction over the case as bishop of Niigata nor as Archbishop of Tokyo.”
Since the alleged sexual abuse, the woman moved to Tokyo, which is why the case is taking place in the Japanese capital.
Speaking to Crux, Kikuchi admitted there was “neglect” on the side of the Church.
“We are not responding well enough,” the cardinal said. “For the outsider, the Church should be one and the archbishop should have almighty power over everyone in the Church. Unfortunately, that is not the case.”
He said that is why he has been working hard to change the structure of the Church “to protect and support victims.”
“That my resolution is expressed in my statement as president of bishops’ conference in this March in the message for the day for prayer for victims of abuse,” he said.
So I am grateful of this accusation. In fact, to make all in the Church to waken up to work hard to change the system and structure to protect victims,” the cardinal continued.
“At the same time, I have to point out regrettably that we, I and my secretary, have no record of being contacted by the victim as she claimed; and after the court case was put forward last year, I proposed to meet the victim to offer support through a priest who knows her but it was refused by her,” Kikuchi said.
He also noted the archdiocese has created a committee to handle cases of abuse, “and whenever I receive any claim of abuse, I am obliged to report it to the committee.”