The history of Christianity in Japan has been complex over the centuries. In the 1500s, Christianity was accepted and even flourished. But from the early 1600s until 1873, Christianity was banned under the Tokugawa Shogunate because it was viewed with great suspicion. Many Christians were persecuted and even martyred. After WWII, Japan’s new democratic government allowed for the freedom of religion. Modern Japan is free and democratic, and people can worship however they desire without fear of persecution. But Christianity continues to struggle, with only one percent identifying as Christian.

One reason for this low number is a series of social crimes committed by religious cults. In 1995, a religious cult called Aum Shinrinkyo released poisonous sarin gas in a Tokyo subway, killing and injuring people. More recently, a cult called the Unification Church, founded by a Korean named Sun Moon, was in the spotlight in Japan when someone associated with the cult assassinated a former Japanese prime minister in July 2022. These incidents have reinforced the idea that religion, especially foreign religions, is dangerous.

However, there is a solution to the social barriers and fears towards religion existing in Japan. It is not a difficult or complex method of evangelism. It is simply to build trusting relationships with people through friendships and using Christ’s method of evangelism. “Mingling with people, showing sympathy for them, ministering to their needs and personal ministry. . . . Accompanied by the power of persuasion, by the power of prayer and the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit” (Ministry of Healing, page 143).

There is a great need for Christian missionaries to live out their faith among the Japanese people, allowing them to witness the beautiful and powerful truths of Christianity firsthand. Will you prayerfully consider partnering with us as a monthly supporter so we can live out the gospel among the unreached people of Japan?

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