Country Profile

Japan is made up of a large group of islands, of which the four main ones are Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku.

Shintoism is the native religion of Japan, and Shintoism, Buddhism and new religions constitute more than 90 percent of the population (Operation World, 21st Century Edition). Only 1.6 percent of a population of about 128 million is Christian (Joshuaproject.net).  What is interesting is, the official number of believers in the various religions is about 217 million, and far exceeds Japan’s population because most Japanese follow a combination of religions.

As Japan has become more affluent over the years, its beliefs have morphed into a sort of “buffet”, accepting temples, shrines and rituals from a vast array of religions. The traditions of Shintoism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism have all contributed to the Japanese religious principles of ancestral worship; a belief in religious continuity in the family; close ties between nation and religion, and free exchange of ideas among religious systems.

While missionaries are allowed into Japan, they face a hard reality of religious skepticism, materialism, as well as a language and culture that take many years to learn. This has led to Japan being considered “hard ground” in Christian circles, even though there are no restrictions to witnessing or preaching the gospel.

However, despite the lack of overall religious interest, young Japanese adults are increasingly curious about Christians, and are searching for a sense of belonging and love that their materialistic world is not giving them.

Needs

A recent social issue is the hikikomori “phenomenon”. Hikikomori refers to individuals who refuse to leave their parents’ home, and who isolate themselves from society for a period exceeding six months. It is estimated that there are up to one million people with this disorder (NHK Social Welfare site www.nhk.or.jp).

The churches in Japan also need more solid teaching in the Word. Within the church, one of the biggest challenges faced is the age of pastors who reflect the aging trends in society at large. Currently, the average age of a pastor in Japan is approaching 60 years of age. Seventy-five percent of the pastors are over 55. There are more pastors active in the church in Japan who are past 80, than there are those under 30 (Asianaccess.org). As a result, an issue facing many churches now is finding people who are trained in the Word to take on the mantle of leading the churches.

Many Japanese are skeptical of, and indifferent toward, established religion. On the outside, they seem to have few needs. However, many of them have become caught up in materialistic pleasures, careers and possessions. Their greatest need is to be introduced to the Father, through His son, Jesus.