Cross-border investigative journalism from Japan

Thank you for your continuous support for Tansa.

I’m Kotaro Chigira, Media Director at Tansa.

We have launched a new series of article, Imagine: Stopping Japan's Path Toward War.

New Series “Imagine: Stopping Japan's Path Toward War”

The title comes from John Lennon's 1971 song: for us, imagination means learning from history and envisioning a better future together with others.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has made clear her intention to make Japan capable of waging war — currently outlawed by the postwar constitution — and is willing to stake her political career on amending it.

In many ways, Japan today mirrors the Japan of the 1930s, when the media abandoned their duty to check power and instead fueled the war. On March 31, 2026, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force deployed long-range missiles at Camp Kengun in Kumamoto City — the first such deployment in Japan, and one capable of reaching China's seaboard. The camp sits in an urban area, ringed by schools and a hospital within one kilometer. We began our reporting there.

Ideology and background have no bearing on one's determination to prevent war. By walking alongside our readers, we hope to create a powerful movement for change.

New Release: The True Mother Files(13)

We have published the latest article in our investigative series, "The True Mother Files": "Unification Church official thought “perhaps Prime Minister Abe died in place of Mother,” TM Report reveals (13)".

This article uncovers a revelation from an internal Unification Church document known as the "TM Report." According to the report, a church official reflected on the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, suggesting that Abe may have "died in place of Mother" (Hak Ja Han, the church's leader). The story delves into the internal mindset and theology within the church following the tragedy, and how church officials tried to cling to their positions of influence with LDP politicians, despite mounting public pressure.

This piece marks the final article of the series currently available on our Japanese site. We encourage you to read through the entire series to explore the full scope of our investigation.

Thank you for participating in the “July Bonus Day” donation campaign 

Our "July Bonus Day" campaign on GlobalGiving has successfully concluded. Thanks to eight generous supporters, we raised $1,807 in 24 hours. With GlobalGiving’s matching funds, Tansa is expected to receive $2,051 in total.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who donated and helped spread the word. As we continue to expand our international media collaborations, we kindly ask for your continued support for us.

Links:

• Imagine: Stopping Japan's Path Toward War
• The True Mother Files(13)