How to say "Confession" in Japanese

When translating "confession" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 懺悔 and 白状. In Japanese, 懺悔 (ざんげ (zange)) is typically associated with "confession; penitence; repentance; admitting sins" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to confession, penitence, repentance, or admitting one's sins/mistakes. On the other hand, 白状 (はくじょう (hakujō)) maps to "confession; admission" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents To admit to something, often a wrongdoing or a secret, after initially hiding it. Can be voluntary or coerced.. A literal translation of "confession" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!