Hitachi-no-Kuni Izumo Taisha has announced the submission of information regarding the Sony Jinja Case to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Special Procedures. This action involves raising concerns about freedom of religion and the continuity of religious practice related to the former Sony Jinja, which has undergone the removal and dismantling of its structure.
The Sony Jinja Case encompasses disputes over a religious covenant, the continuity of rites, and the return of sacred objects from the former shrine. In coordination with its filing to the OHCHR Special Procedures, Hitachi-no-Kuni Izumo Taisha reached out to Sony Group Corporation for written clarification by May 18, 2026, but reportedly received no response by the deadline.
Separately, Hitachi-no-Kuni Izumo Taisha has successfully completed the Amano Torifune Shrine, a project independent of the Sony Jinja Case itself. The shrine was finalized and consecrated on May 7, 2026, marking the culmination of efforts to ensure the continuity of religious practices disrupted by previous activities associated with Sony Jinja.
The organization emphasized that its submission to OHCHR does not imply legal judgment or finding of illegality by the United Nations. The OHCHR Special Procedures communications system functions to gather information through expert communications, but it lacks enforcement power or the ability of definitive rulings.
Hitachi-no-Kuni Izumo Taisha hopes the completion of Amano Torifune Shrine will serve as a milestone for preserving religious practice and continuity, independent of the ongoing issues related to Sony Jinja. The shrine has also communicated its commitment to transparency in clarifying the facts surrounding the ongoing case.
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