TOKYO -- The Roman Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal has stretched into one of the least Catholic countries: Japan, where former students at a prestigious all-boys parochial school allege they were molested or raped by religious brothers who taught there decades ago.

Three former students at St. Mary's International School in Tokyo told The Associated Press they were sexually abused by brothers there. One described "health checkups" in which a brother touched boys' testicles. Another says he was raped in the chapel by two brothers at age 11.

That former student received an in-person apology from one of the men, Brother Lawrence Lambert, in 2014. The former student's account of the meeting suggests Lambert might have initially confused him with yet another victim whose assault went unreported.

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The Archdiocese of Tokyo declined to comment, saying St. Mary's is handling the matter. Conrad Lord, a lawyer for The Brothers of Christian Instruction, which runs St. Mary's, said Lambert's apology had been obtained by "coercion," and that both brothers were wrongfully accused, but declined to comment further.