TOKYO - New health ministry guidelines in Japan will classify as abuse any acts by members of religious groups who threaten or force their children to participate in religious activities, or that hinder a child’s career path based on religious doctrine. According to unnamed sources cited by Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun, the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry is preparing its first draft of guidelines to help local governments deal with issues of child abuse that have emerged in connection with religious groups such as the Unification Church, officially known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. Guidelines already exist for child consultation centres on how to respond to abuse, but this will be the first time that they are devised specifically for children of religious followers