expression, noun
freedom of religion
A legal and social concept; often used in discussions of constitutional rights and human rights.
日本国憲法は信教の自由を保障している。
The Constitution of Japan guarantees freedom of religion.
Refers to freedom of expression, another fundamental right, while 信教の自由 specifically concerns religious belief and practice.
Compound of 信教 (religious belief) and 自由 (freedom). The phrase is a direct translation of the Western concept of religious freedom, adopted during the modernization of Japanese law.