Protestant vandalism

Japan - More than 50 different acts have vandalism against Protestant churches since last September have investigators and Christian clergy on heightened alert. All incidents occurred at night, usually involving bricks or fire extinguishers lobbed to smash windows. Churches and other religious facilities belonging to Protestant groups in Osaka (38 attacks), Hyogo (12), Kyoto (3) and Shiga (3) prefectures in the Kansai region of Japan seem to be the only targets. One night had seven attacks in different areas.

"As a fellow person of religion, I am very disturbed by these incidents," said an official for the Shinshu Otani-ha Buddhist sect. Masayuki Kiryu, professor of criminal psychology at Kansai University of International Studies said, "it is hard to imagine that a church or seminary could draw the wrath of so many people," concluding it was unclear whether the attacks were carried out by a single actor due to the wide area involved.