I live in Japan and am visiting Sendai for a trip. I was walking near the station and a Japanese lady asked me if I have some time. There was another Japanese lady with them and she was holding hand of a little girl, possibly around age of 9-10. I thought maybe the little girl wants to talk with foreigners in English for a school homework or something, because we used to talk with foreigners when we were child as school homework, and ask them questions in English.
Anyways, First lady asked me where I am from, what I have been doing in Sendai. I did not give her exact details regarding my identity and she kept asking questions, I understood that they are not talking with me for the little girls english homework. Also second lady who is holding hand of the little girl told me they are friends with the first lady. Then first lady suddenly switch the topic to Earthquakes and told me in order to stop earthquakes and be protected I need to go to a temple, however I forgot name of the temple and religious group. That was "bingo" for me. I told her I am very happy for the invitation but have no time. She asked me where I live, I said Tokyo(which is a lie) and then she told me can I go to Tokyo to meet with you? This time I drop all my politeness and refused her strongly and stated that what she is doing is very rude. Then she just go away with the little girl.
This was a very unpleasant experience for me. I have been asked by religious people many times, but using a child in such a matter is unacceptable. This was very disgusting. I feel so sorry for the child.
While I was wrong at the first place talking with her, I geniuenly thought the talk was for something like little girls English homework or something. Because who would involve children in such things? I do not know if this is child abuse or not, but they just hold hand of the girl whole time.
I share this experience with you guys, so if you ever experience something you know that you are not the first one experiencing this, and maybe they switch using childs as a tool to give some false sense of "safety" to the people they talk with. I do hope that this does not become a pattern.
by hamabenodisco