About Japan

Japan is an economic superpower and therefore one of the richest nations on earth. It has a population of 127 million, of whom 30 million live in greater Tokyo. Approximately 1% of Japanese are Christians, about half of whom are evangelicals. It is difficult to determine what percentage of Japanese people are Buddhists and Shinto. Most Japanese people are both. It is often said that 85-90% are Shinto and 75-80% are Buddhist. This is the relative mathematics of religious pluralism.

The low percentage of Christians in Japan makes it one of the most gospel deprived countries in east Asia, ranking it with North Korea, Mongolia, and Macao. The primary barrier to the gospel is the nation's drive toward social conformity sourced in its prior commitment to harmony over truth. These values of harmony and conformity are Confucian in origin, but have been intensified through contact with Japanese culture. One must be like everyone else in one's group (family, company, school, etc.). Personal identity is formed within the group. To be outside the group is to be insignificant and almost non-existent. Believing in Jesus Christ breaks societal harmony and is considered non-conformist because so few people in Japan are believers. New believers therefore face what is unthinkable for most Japanese people: exclusion from family, friends, and co-workers. This fear of being ostracized prevents many Japanese people from believing the gospel.

Click here to see Dale Little's current uploaded photo collection of things Japanese.

Links to selelcted sites about Japan (content not necessarily endorsed):

Description of Japan by Overseas Missionary Fellowship

Joshua Project - On Japan

BBC News: Country profile of Japan

Country Study of Japan (Library of Congress) (thorough and academic)

Virtual Travel to Japan

Japan A-Z

Introduction To Japan

Japan Information Network

The Virtual Museum of Japanese Arts

Links to selected sites about Nagoya city area (content not necessarily endorsed):

Nagoya City official site (English pages)

Basic information and links about Nagoya

Nagoya area tourist information

Nagoya International Center

Nagoya private railway information and maps (not Japan Rail)

Links to selected sites about Sendai city area (content not necessarily endorsed):

Sendai city information

Links to selected sites about Tokyo city area (content not necessarily endorsed):

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