Population : 127 million
Largest Religion : Buddhist (almost 70%)
Professing Christians : 2.2 %
Evangelical : 0.58%
Japan is the second largest unreached people group in the world.
Though Japan is known as one of the world’s strongest economies, there are only 0.58% Evangelical Christians. and The average age of Pastors are over 60. 70% of Pastors are over 50 years old. The average attendees per church is about 30.
… Christianity has been outlawed for long periods of time in Japan since the 1600’s, creating long-lasting distrust even in today’s society. Though there is religious freedom, Japanese society considers Christianity incompatible with the supreme value of being Japanese. As a result Japanese evangelicals comprise less than 1% of the population.
… The Japanese aren’t religious, but cultural Shinto-Buddhism, is ingrained in the Japanese mind. Shintoism is the native religion of Japan. It is rooted in animism (belief that non-living objects have spirits). Its many gods or spirits are known as kami. Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the sixth century. Today, most Japanese claim to be both Shintoist and Buddhist.
The Japanese population is decreasing.
It’s projected to decrease by 1/3 in the next fifty years, and by 75 million, 60% of its current population in the next 100 years.
… This is largely due to the lack of value put on the family unit in Japan. Many men work jobs that require them to live in different locations than their families, or work long hours such that they don’t spend time with their families. From junior high school, children’s primary social group is at school, and without a firm foundation, many become social outcasts.
