Japan

Japan Factbook

Japan is a nation of ancient tradition and religious practices. Few Japanese have ever heard the gospel. Christians face tremendous challenges as they seek to tell the Japanese people about the Savior.

Japan is a grouping of several hundred islands in the western Pacific Ocean. The islands are located to the east of the Korean peninsula on mainland Asia. The islands are covered with rugged mountains.

The population of Japan exceeds 126 million. Nearly all of the residents are native Japanese. Relatively few foreigners live in Japan.

Despite almost no natural resources, Japan is a world economic powerhouse. The economy is export oriented with huge trade surpluses. Japan has experienced setbacks over the last 10 years as Asia suffered through a severe economic crisis. The situation is improving, but the Japanese economy is still rather fragile.

Since the end of World War II, Japan has operated as a constitutional monarchy. The emperor holds no political power. The power resides with the prime minister and parliament. The government has remained stable since the war. The Japanese constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

The Shinto religion has ancient roots in Japan and contains elements of Buddhism and Confucianism. Although few Japanese would classify themselves as Shinto, most believe in its basic elements. Many Japanese disclaim all religion even if they participate.

New religions seem to hold a fascination for the Japanese people. Approximately 100 new religions are founded each year, and these religions receive a significant following. Most of the new religions are related in some fashion to Shintoism.

Few Japanese are Christians. Less the one half of one percent are evangelical. The Japanese people often make themselves too busy for religion. This is particularly true of men. Women greatly outnumber men in Japanese churches. Japanese churches are usually small and scattered.

The Japanese cultural trait of seeking consensus makes witnessing difficult for Japanese Christians. Since Christians are far in the minority, attempting to evangelize is an attempt to break the consensus of the people. Pray for the Japanese Christians that they may have courage and boldness in their witness.

Japan is a difficult mission field. Although missionary visas are fairly easy to obtain, Japan presents a difficult adjustment for missionaries from Western cultures. The language is difficult to master and the cultural barriers against Christianity are strong. Many missionaries do not return for a second term. Pray for the missionaries in Japan that they may survive the adjustment and have a fruitful ministry.

Japanese churches have sent out a relatively high number of evangelical missionaries to other lands. Pray for their ministries as well.

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