"... so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting, men may know that there is no God besides me." Isaiah 45:6
(photo: sun rising over Mount Fuji)
JAPAN: 日本 or "Ni-hon" at a GLANCE:
--Population of Japan: 135 million people
--Main Religions: Buddhist, Shinto
--Percentage of Christians: less than 1 percent
--Over 75% of churches in Japan have only 30-40 members
--30,000 people commit suicide in Japan each year
There are 12 million people in Tokyo Metrapolis where we live, one of the largest cities in the world ( in an area that is 1/60th the size of Alice's home state of MS). There are only 1,000 churches. That is approximately 1 church for every 12,000 people.
--As of 1997, there were only 500 missionaries serving in the Tokyo area.
--The majority of Buddhist, Shintoist, and cultic groups have their headquarters in Tokyo.
The average non-Christian Japanese might have their wedding at a Shinto shrine, and also take their baby to a shrine to be prayed over by a Shinto priest. But when Japanese people die, a Buddhist temple usually handles the funeral. This mixture is simply part of the lifestyle in Japan. The common factor between the two religions, however, is ancestor worship. Japanese have sometimes elaborate altars in their homes where they pray and burn incense to their ancestors, to show honor and respect. This practice is a major hindrance to the gospel, especially when the oldest child in a family with aging parents is saved. The oldest son is expected to honor his deceased mother or father by keeping the remains in a Buddhist altar, offering incense and other items in worship and respect.
Almost daily reports can be heard on the news of violence in schools and in homes, of elementary and junior high students performing violent acts on classmates or their own parents. Junior and senior high school girls are selling their virginity to businessmen for $500 to $1000. Many young adults known as "parasite singles," refuse to go to college or get jobs. They continue to live at home with their parents and refuse to take part in society.
Because of the busy-ness of life in Japan, family members spend less and less time at home. Children attend club meetings and cram school after their regular classes, sometimes not getting home until 8 or 9 pm. More and more children are growing up without their fathers, who are either working until long after the children's bedtime, or who live separately from their families because of their job locations. Divorce is on the rise, and so is the average marriage age. Less and less children are being born. In 1980, the number of households with children had decreased to less than half.
The Church
The church is split into over 120 denominations, and there are major divisions between Charismatic, Evangelical and Mainline churches with little cooperation between them. Pray for unity in the church, and that walls will be broken down. Also, worship is a key to spiritual walls being torn down and to God's presence being released in Japan. Pray for more Japanese worship leaders to be raised up, and for more Japanese worship songs to be birthed in their hearts.
Also, because of the aging population in Japan, a large percentage of pastors in Japan are elderly, and will need to retire soon. There are not enough pastors from the next generation to pass the baton to. Please pray for a new crop of young pastors and leaders, with fresh vision and fire for God's call for Japan.
**The facts on this page were obtained from Operation Japan, copyright 1997 by Operation Japan Publishing Committee and JEMA, and from the Japan Almanac online.