Considering the Social Contributions of Religious Leaders
“I Want to Tell You That God Loves You”
Pastor Ryuichi Sunagawa, Tsukishiro Christian Church
Born to an American father and a Japanese mother, Pastor Sunagawa became a minister. Having experienced salvation through God’s love, he has been conveying love to many parentless children as a foster parent in Okinawa. He is also actively engaged in addressing gambling addiction, which leads to family breakdown. (By Koichi Tanaka)
Finding Salvation Through the Words of a Japanese Pastor
— Could you share with us how you became a foster parent?
I was born to a U.S. soldier father and a local Japanese mother. Later, my parents divorced, and my father returned to the United States. In the past, there were many such single-mother households in Okinawa. To support these children, Okinawa Prefecture had recognized Japanese nationality for children of U.S. soldiers if their mother was Japanese, even before Japan’s nationality laws were revised. I was able to become a Japanese citizen at the age of 13, and I was very happy about it.
Since my family struggled financially, I started delivering newspapers in elementary school. However, poverty itself was not that painful. What was truly painful and lonely was growing up without a father. When I saw my friends at school being picked up by their fathers, and their fathers hugging them, I couldn’t understand what it felt like to be loved by an adult male. I thought that all fathers represented all adult men, and mothers represented all adult women. I believe that being loved unconditionally by both a father and a mother, who symbolize all adults, allows a person to live freely. Therefore, I felt that children should be raised by people who could take on the roles of father and mother, rather than living in an orphanage.
At the age of 17, I traveled to the U.S. in search of my father. By then, he had a new family. When I visited him, he initially welcomed me, saying, “It’s good to see you,” but soon after, he asked, “When are you going back to Japan?” I realized that my presence was a burden to him. I felt lost, realizing that biological ties alone do not guarantee love.
At that moment, a Japanese pastor who was interpreting for me saved me. He told me, “God loves you.” He also said, “The cross of Christ is a symbol of God’s forgiveness and love for us. We must also learn to forgive one another.” He taught me the importance of forgiveness.
When he told me to “forgive,” I remember feeling relieved. I was then able to tell my father, “Because you and my mother met, my sister and I were born. Thank you.” My father burst into tears and hugged me. At that moment, I realized how strong an adult man’s embrace could be and what a father’s love truly felt like. After that, I was able to maintain a good relationship with my father until his passing.
From that experience, I decided that I wanted to be someone who could say, “God loves you, and even if we are not related by blood, I love you too.” It was then that I made up my mind to become a pastor.
Another important decision I made at 17 was to become a father to children who could not be raised by their biological parents.
After returning to Japan, I graduated from seminary and worked to build a church.
I also prayed about marriage. I believed that if there was a woman who could not have children and remained unmarried because of it, it might be a sign from God. Then I met my current wife. I told her about my desire to take in children without parents.
Thirty years have passed since then, and we have raised 20 children. Currently, we have five foster children and are supporting the independence of four others. Of course, we have faced many hardships along the way, but no one lives without sorrow or suffering. In that sense, we do not feel despair. As believers, we live each day with gratitude, joy, and laughter.
Gambling Addiction: A Cause of Parental Absence
— You are also addressing the issue of gambling addiction.
When I first became a foster parent, about 30,000 children lived in foster care facilities nationwide. Today, 42,000 children live in these facilities or with foster parents.
Why has the number of parentless children not decreased? Since 2015, our church has operated a children’s cafeteria, and in speaking with the mothers who came, I found that many had divorced because their husbands became addicted to gambling. Among the couples who had their wedding ceremonies at our church, some also separated because the husband became addicted to pachinko.
Upon investigating, I discovered that Japan is one of the only countries with gambling establishments spread throughout the nation. Every prefecture has gambling venues. This phenomenon traces back to the era of GHQ (General Headquarters of the Allied Forces)’s occupation, when there were discussions about replacing Shinto shrines with gambling centers. GHQ believed that Japan’s national spirit—where people were unafraid of death for the sake of the public—needed to be dismantled.
However, at that time, a Catholic priest named Bruno Bitter protested to General MacArthur, arguing that no nation should destroy memorial sites for those who died in its service. Thanks to this, shrines such as Yasukuni Shrine and Gokoku Shrines were spared from destruction.
Nevertheless, gambling centers continued to spread. In 2021, U.S. gambling revenue was approximately 6 trillion yen, and China’s was 3 to 4 trillion yen. In contrast, Japan’s gambling revenue was 20 trillion yen even during the COVID-19 pandemic and sometimes reached 30 trillion yen.
To eliminate parentless children, we must create a society free from gambling addiction, which contributes to poverty. Ending the post-war system that has weakened Japanese families is a challenge that believers must take on.
We must save Japan, its people, and its children. Jesus Christ taught, “I give you a new commandment: Love one another.” To love means to meet the needs of others. While Shinto and Christianity are different religions, regardless of faith, protecting Japan, preserving the Imperial Family, and preventing family breakdown are responsibilities that believers should naturally undertake.
— You also plan to address the United Nations?
Yes, I intend to appeal to the UN about how the excessive number of gambling venues is increasing the number of parentless children.
Creating a Place of Comfort for the Community
— Religious institutions, like churches, play a fundamental role in shaping local communities alongside schools. What are your thoughts on the social role of churches?
People often tell me, “We decided to move to this area because there is a church here.” A white building with a triangular roof, a cross on top of its tower, and green lawns, where children are happily walking around, makes people want to live there. I am delighted if our church can provide such a sense of security to the community.
Spreading the Power of Faith
— What are your future plans?
There is a teaching that says, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ With this in mind, I will continue to care for children and those who come to our church.
Furthermore, to protect democracy, we must continue to speak out in society about what is right and wrong. We will not confine ourselves to the chapel; we will submit petitions to the prefectural assembly and the National Diet, and we will deliver speeches on the streets. We hope to protect Okinawa and Japan. All these efforts are connected by the teaching that believing in God means loving people.
People cannot live without a sense of self-worth. Self-esteem is nurtured by unconditional love from both a father and a mother. But as families continue to break apart, the contribution of faith in local communities will become increasingly important.
Forgiveness is also a power of faith. Conveying that message is the role of the church in the community.
Ryuichi Sunagawa
Born in the U.S. in 1970. Graduated from Ikoma Bible College. Pastor of Tsukishiro Christian Church.
