JAPAN
American Chronicle
By Newswire Services
August 23, 2005
The Japanese founder of a church has admitted to charges of raping and indecently assaulting young girls, the Mainichi Shimbun reported Tuesday.
Tamotsu Kin faces charges of violating seven young girls in 22 incidents, including one attempted incident, between March 2001 and September 2004, in locations including the pastor's office at the Seishin Chuo Kyokai church in Yawata, Kyoto prefecture.
Questioning Kin over the attacks, the presiding judge in Kyoto District Court asked, "Is it right you are not going to argue about the 22 incidents and the seven (victims)?" Kin replied, "Yes."
In the opening hearing of his trial June 21, Kin would neither deny nor confirm the facts of the charges against him.