The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Japan said Monday it will open an internal investigation into claims of sexual abuse among its ranks against children in the country. The probe would be the first of its kind in Japan.
The standing committee of the bishops' conference decided Thursday at a meeting in Tokyo that it will quickly launch an "in-depth investigation" into all 16 dioceses in Japan. Five reports of sexual abuse were made when the entity conducted questionnaire surveys in 2002 and 2012 throughout its dioceses.
The Roman Catholic Church has been facing accusations of child sexual abuse and cover-ups around the world. It has also faced condemnation for not acting quickly enough. Thousands of people, possibly more, are thought to have been abused worldwide by priests over many decades.