About the People

The Chugoku (“middle country”) region of Japan lies in the westernmost part of Honshu, Japan’s main island. Prefectures in Chugoku include Yamaguchi, Okayama, Hiroshima, Tottori and Shimane. The Chugoku region is home to 7.3 million of Japan’s more than 126 million people. Its main economic center is Hiroshima, known for Peace Memorial Park. Hiroshima has a population of approximately 1.2 million people. Second in population is Okayama, with a population of 720,000 people. Many airports and a bullet train provide mass transit for the populace.

Nearly three-fourths of Japan consists of forests and mountains; the Chugoku region has many rolling hills, while mountains run east and west through its center. The region offers both scenic landscapes and urban areas. Japan’s climate varies greatly from north to south, producing both deep snowbanks and the celebrated cherry blossoms for which Japan is famous. However, for all the beauty of this country, Japan has a high suicide rate (more than 30,000 a year).

Fewer than one percent of Japanese are Christian. A syncretism of Shintoism and Buddhism remains the predominant religion but seems to be a form rather than a genuine belief for many Japanese, according to polls. The younger generation faces a different working environment than their parents and typically values individualism more than the older generation. In addition, a number of young people never leave home, are unemployed, and do not pay taxes, placing a burden on the government as it deliberates on how to provide for an increasingly elderly and declining population.

About the Project

Two missionary units are needed to serve in a variety of capacities. Suicide, the leading cause of death for people under age 30, points to a loss of meaning, hope and identity. Other social phenomena indicate that Japan faces a crisis among the young. Come minister to this wealthy but impoverished generation.

People-Group Facts

• Population: 7.3 million of Japan’s 126 million people
• Language: Japanese
• Religion: Shintoism/Buddhism