UNITED STATES
SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)

December 14, 2020

The first oral argument in a lawsuit filed against the Catholic Church in Japan will be heard on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, at 10 AM in the Sendai District Court. We sincerely hope that the plaintiff’s position will be heard and upheld by the judge.

Japan Volunteer SNAP Leader Harumi Suzuki filed a lawsuit in late September against the Diocese of Sendai. Harumi’s attorney, Yuma Sato, seeks 56.1 million yen ($534,000) in damages from the Diocese.

According to Harumi’s complaint, she was a victim of domestic violence in 1977 and turned to her Catholic priest for help. Instead, she was raped during a counseling session. As a result, Harumi suffered from depression for years.