"Chinese religions. It includes sects and reformed movements such as Ijun or Ijunism (Ryukyuan: いじゅん ""Ijun""; Japanese: 違順教 ""Ijunkyō""), founded in the 1970s. The Ainu religion is the indigenous belief system of the Ainu people of Hokkaido and parts of Far Eastern Russia. It is an animistic religion centered around the belief that ""Kamuy"" (spirits or gods) live in everything. Most Chinese people in Japan practice the Chinese folk religion (), also known as Shenism (), that is very similar to Japanese Shinto. The Chinese folk religion consists in the worship of the ethnic Chinese gods and ancestors, ""shen"" (神"
"Freedom of religion in Japan The Article 20 of the Japanese Constitution provides for freedom of religion in Japan, and the government generally respects this right in practice. The government of Japan does not require religious groups to report their membership, so it was difficult to accurately determine the number of adherents to different religious groups. The Agency for Cultural Affairs reported in 2017 that membership claims by religious groups totaled 182 million. This is out of a total population of 127 million, but does not account for overlapping memberships (some families may be registered at both a Buddhist temple"
"older and accounted for 20.7 percent of the population. Elderly women crossed the 20 million line at 20.12 million, substantially outnumbering the nation's 15.45 million elderly men. Japan has full religious freedom based on Article 20 of its Constitution. Upper estimates suggest that 84–96 percent of the Japanese population subscribe to Shinto as its indigenous religion (50% to 80% of which considering degrees of syncretism with Buddhism, shinbutsu-shūgō). However, these estimates are based on people affiliated with a temple, rather than the number of true believers. The number of Shinto shrines in Japan is estimated to be around 100,000. Other"
"and a Shinto shrine), or double membership due to change of address. This number, which is nearly twice Japan's population, reflects many citizens' affiliation with multiple religions. For example, it is very common for Japanese to practice both Buddhist and Shinto rites. According to the Agency's annual yearbook, 85 million persons identify themselves as Shinto, 88 million as Buddhist, 2 million as Christian, and 8 million follow ""other"" religions, including Tenrikyo, Seicho-no-Ie, the Church of World Messianity, and PL Kyodan. Academics estimate that there are 120 thousand Muslims in Japan, 10 percent of whom are Japanese citizens. The Israeli Embassy"
"By 1988 it had more than 2.4 million members in Brazil, 85% of them not of Japanese ethnicity. Data for 2012 is from the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Japanese new religions Japanese new religions are new religious movements established in Japan. In Japanese they are called or . Japanese scholars classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as ""new religions""; thus, the term refers to a great diversity and number of organizations. Most came into being in the mid-to-late twentieth century and are influenced by much older traditional religions including Shinto, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Western"
"Church of Christ in Japan permits openly gay and lesbian pastors to act as ministers. United Church of Christ in Japan The United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ; ""Nihon Kirisuto Kyōdan"", or ""Kyōdan"" for short) is the largest Protestant denomination in Japan. It is a union of thirty-three diverse Protestant denominations forcibly merged by the Japanese wartime government on June 24, 1941. The UCCJ, which is a Japanese Independent Church, is a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC). Currently, the church has some about 200,000 members and 1,725 congregations served by 2,189 pastors. Upon promulgation of the"
"34,477 in 1970 to 433,108 at the end of the 1980s. Taken at face value, the Spirit of Jesus Church is one of the largest New religious movements in Japan. They also reject the Trinitarian doctrine and claims to be the only true Christian church in the world They believe in divine health through prayer and the anointing of oil, because this is a practice referred to in the New Testament (James 5:14-16). They also perform the ceremony of the washing of the feet, which was originally performed by Jesus (John 13). This practice has been revived with some pastors"
"Buddhism among Japanese people is the Jōdo Shinshū sect founded by Shinran. A large majority of Japanese people profess to believe in both Shinto and Buddhism. Japanese people's religion functions mostly as a foundation for mythology, traditions, and neighborhood activities, rather than as the single source of moral guidelines for one's life. About one million, or slightly under 1%, of Japan's population are Christians. A larger proportion of members of the Japanese diaspora practice Christianity; about 60% of Japanese Brazilians and 90% of Japanese Mexicans are Roman Catholics, while about 37% of Japanese Americans are Christians (33% Protestant and 4%"
"studies have suggested that only 30 percent of the population identify themselves as belonging to a religion. According to Edwin Reischauer and Marius Jansen, some 70–80% of the Japanese do not consider themselves believers in any religion. Nevertheless, the level of participation remains high, especially during festivals and occasions such as the first shrine visit of the New Year. Taoism and Confucianism from China have also influenced Japanese beliefs and customs. Japanese streets are decorated on Tanabata, Obon and Christmas. Shinto is the largest religion in Japan, practiced by nearly 80% of the population, yet only a small percentage of"
"Church of Christ in Japan The Church of Christ in Japan is an existing religious denomination that has 13,102 members and 137 congregations, and is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. It sponsors missionaries in Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. The Church of Christ in Japan was founded by American missionaries in 1872. J.C. Presbyterians Hepburn, S. R. Brown and the Reformed J. H. Ballagh were among the founders, in Yokohama. In 1877 the church unified with the Presbyterian Association. By the end of the 19th century membership was 10,500 and there were 72 congregations. In the"
"Christians represent roughly one percent of the population, there have been eight Christian Prime Ministers in Japan. Christianity in Japan Christianity in Japan is among the nation's minority religions. Around 0.5 percent of the population claims Christian belief or affiliation. Most large Christian denominations, including Roman Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodox Christianity, are represented in Japan today. Since the mid-1990s, the majority of Japanese, despite claiming to be nonreligious, wed in Christian-style ceremonies which has had a major impact on Japanese Christianity. The Japanese word for is a compound of kirisuto (キリスト) the Japanese adaptation of the Portuguese and Spanish word"
"one of the most secular nations in the world according to the World Values Survey. While there may be up to 3 million Japanese Christians, Christianity in Japan is spread among many denominational affiliations. 70 percent of Japanese churches have an average attendance of less than 30, though membership is often double this figure. The celebration of selected Christian holidays has gained popularity in Japan since the Second World War – primarily as commercial events, but with also an emphasis on sharing time with loved ones, either significant others or close family. Except in Japan's minority Christian communities, Easter is"
"Christianity in Japan Christianity in Japan is among the nation's minority religions. Around 0.5 percent of the population claims Christian belief or affiliation. Most large Christian denominations, including Roman Catholicism, Protestantism and Orthodox Christianity, are represented in Japan today. Since the mid-1990s, the majority of Japanese, despite claiming to be nonreligious, wed in Christian-style ceremonies which has had a major impact on Japanese Christianity. The Japanese word for is a compound of kirisuto (キリスト) the Japanese adaptation of the Portuguese and Spanish word for Christ, and the Sino-Japanese word for , like in ""Bukkyō"" (仏教, Japanese for Buddhism). Japan remains"
"own and operate over the air broadcast stations. Protestantism in Japan Protestants in Japan constitute a religious minority of about 0.4% of total population or 509,668 people in number (see Protestantism by country). All major traditional Protestant denominations are present in the country, including Baptists, Pentecostals, Lutherans, Anglicanism, Methodists, Presbyterians, Mennonites, the Salvation Army and some others. In 1859 the first representatives of the Anglican Communion, the Rev., later Bishop, Channing Moore Williams and the Rev. John Liggins of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America arrived in Nagasaki, Japan. Williams and Liggins were followed to Nagasaki in"
"United Church of Christ in Japan The United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ; ""Nihon Kirisuto Kyōdan"", or ""Kyōdan"" for short) is the largest Protestant denomination in Japan. It is a union of thirty-three diverse Protestant denominations forcibly merged by the Japanese wartime government on June 24, 1941. The UCCJ, which is a Japanese Independent Church, is a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC). Currently, the church has some about 200,000 members and 1,725 congregations served by 2,189 pastors. Upon promulgation of the Religious Organizations Law that forced the merger of all the Protestant churches in Japan to"
"Protestantism in Japan Protestants in Japan constitute a religious minority of about 0.4% of total population or 509,668 people in number (see Protestantism by country). All major traditional Protestant denominations are present in the country, including Baptists, Pentecostals, Lutherans, Anglicanism, Methodists, Presbyterians, Mennonites, the Salvation Army and some others. In 1859 the first representatives of the Anglican Communion, the Rev., later Bishop, Channing Moore Williams and the Rev. John Liggins of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America arrived in Nagasaki, Japan. Williams and Liggins were followed to Nagasaki in January 1869 by Rev. George Ensor, representing the"
"Sikhism (シク教 ""Sikukyō"") is presently a minority religion in Japan mainly followed by families migrated from India. Jainism (ジャイナ教 ""Jainakyō"") is a minority religion in Japan. , there were three Jain temples in the country. The Ryukyuan religion is the indigenous belief system of the people of Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands. While specific legends and traditions may vary slightly from place to place and island to island, the Ryukyuan religion is generally characterized by ancestor worship (more accurately termed ""ancestor respect"") and the respecting of relationships between the living, the dead, and the gods and spirits of the"
"Japan Assemblies of God The Japan Assemblies of God (Japanese:日本アッセンブリ－ズ・オブ・ゴッド教団 ""Nihon Assenburiizu obu Goddo Kyodan"") is a Pentecostal Christian denomination in Japan affiliated with the World Assemblies of God Fellowship. It claims 10,766 adherents and 211 churches. It is also a member of the Japan Evangelical Association. In 1913, the missionaries Carl and Frederike Juergensen arrived in Japan and began evangelizing the populace. In 1914, the Assemblies of God in the United States of America was formed, and the Juergensens became the first Assemblies of God missionaries to Japan. An Assemblies of God USA affiliated district of Japan was organized"
"these identify themselves as ""Shintoists"" in surveys. This is due to the fact that ""Shinto"" has different meanings in Japan: most of the Japanese attend Shinto shrines and beseech kami without belonging to Shinto organisations, and since there are no formal rituals to become a member of folk Shinto, Shinto membership is often estimated counting those who join organised Shinto sects. Shinto has 100,000 shrines and 78,890 priests in the country. Buddhism first arrived in Japan in the 6th century; it was introduced in the year 538 or 552 from the kingdom of Baekje in Korea. Christianity was first introduced"
"""kami"" without belonging to an institutional Shinto religion. There are no formal rituals to become a practitioner of ""folk Shinto"". Thus, ""Shinto membership"" is often estimated counting only those who do join organised Shinto sects. Shinto has about 81,000 shrines and about 85,000 priests in the country. According to surveys carried out in 2006 and 2008, less than 40% of the population of Japan identifies with an organised religion: around 35% are Buddhists, 3% to 4% are members of Shinto sects and derived religions. In 2008, 26% of the participants reported often visiting Shinto shrines, while only 16.2% expressed belief"
"Hokkekō to this usage by Nichiren Daishonin. Hokkekō is the name given to Nichiren Daishonin's believers who died at the Atsuhara persecution and its present living family descendants. They are affiliated with the head temple at Taiseki-ji in Japan. The Hokkeko organization promoted its achievement of 300,000 registered membership in 2002, the 750th death anniversary of Nichiren Daishonin. Accordingly, it projects its 800,000 registry membership target by 2021, the 800th year anniversary of its founder. In addition to being what congregations of Nichiren Shoshu temples (close to 700 in Japan and 20 in other countries have traditionally called themselves, ""Hokkekō"""
"of the Lotus Sutra. Main representatives of Nichiren Buddhism are sects like ""Nichiren Shū"", ""Nichiren Shōshū"" and lay organisations like Risshō Kōsei Kai and ""Soka Gakkai"", a controversial denomination whose political wing forms the Komeito, Japan's third largest political party. Common to most lineages of Nichiren Buddhism is the chanting of Nam(u) Myōhō Renge Kyō (or Nam Myoho Renge Kyo) and the Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren. As of 2007, there were 315,000+ Buddhist monks, priests and leaders in Japan. As of 2014, there were 377,000+ Buddhist monks, priests and leaders in Japan, an increase of over 60,000 compared to 2007."
"of a ""dangerous religion"" and announced in January 2015 that they would remain under surveillance for three more years. The group is said to organize gatherings and pilgrimages, visiting places deemed holy by different religions and distributing sermons on various aspects of Buddhism. The group's leader Joyu positions himself as an authority in the field of spirituality, who gained 'spiritual experience' which he is sharing with members of the group. The Japanese government ended surveillance of Hikari no Wa in 2017, but continued to keep Aleph under watch. Hikari no Wa At its foundation, the group had 57 live-in followers"
"earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified ""Shinto religion"", but rather to disorganized folklore, history, and mythology. Shinto today applies to public shrines suited to various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, romance, and historical monuments, as well as various sectarian organizations. Shinto is the largest religion in Japan, practiced by nearly 80% of the population, yet only a small percentage of these identify themselves as ""Shintoists"" in surveys. According to surveys carried out in 2006 and 2008 show that 3% to 3.9% of the population of Japan are members of Shinto sects and derived religions. Muism"
"women drop out of the labor force to raise children. Three times as many women are employed part-time as men. The Japan Council for Quality Health Care administers the Japan Obstetric Compensation System for Cerebral Palsy, a no-fault compensation system for the care of delivery-related cerebral palsy. Religion, as practiced in Japan today, includes Shintoism (83.9%), Buddhism (71.4%), Christianity (2%), and other (7.8%). Total adherence exceeds 100% because many identify with both Shintoism and Buddhism. Shinto shrines, honoring gods and goddesses of ancient Japanese mythology, decorate the landscape of Japan. Shintoism is based on earlier animistic and shamanistic traditions, and"
"under the direction of missionaries in 1920. Under pressure from the Japanese wartime government, Assemblies of God churches joined the United Church of Christ in Japan in 1941 but withdrew after World War II. In 1949, the self-governing Japan Assemblies of God was formed with 19 ministers and 17 congregations. Japan Assemblies of God The Japan Assemblies of God (Japanese:日本アッセンブリ－ズ・オブ・ゴッド教団 ""Nihon Assenburiizu obu Goddo Kyodan"") is a Pentecostal Christian denomination in Japan affiliated with the World Assemblies of God Fellowship. It claims 10,766 adherents and 211 churches. It is also a member of the Japan Evangelical Association. In 1913, the"
"language exceeds 99%. Dozens of Japanese dialects are spoken in regions of Japan. Japanese religion has traditionally been syncretic in nature, combining elements of Buddhism and Shinto (Shinbutsu-shūgō). Shinto, a polytheistic religion with no book of religious canon, is Japan's native religion. Shinto was one of the traditional grounds for the right to the throne of the Japanese imperial family, and was codified as the state religion in 1868 (State Shinto), but was abolished by the American occupation in 1945. Mahayana Buddhism came to Japan in the sixth century and evolved into many different sects. Today, the largest form of"
"following fifty years it was among Japan's largest churches. In 1941 the denomination became part of the United Church of Christ in Japan. In 1951, 39 congregations reconstructed themselves as the Church of Christ in Japan. Church of Christ in Japan The Church of Christ in Japan is an existing religious denomination that has 13,102 members and 137 congregations, and is a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches. It sponsors missionaries in Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. The Church of Christ in Japan was founded by American missionaries in 1872. J.C. Presbyterians Hepburn, S. R. Brown and the"
"but excludes people with special permanent resident permission, diplomats, and those under 16. Shinto and Buddhism are Japan's two major religions. They have co-existed for more than a thousand years. However, most Japanese identify as either atheists, irreligious, or do not identify themselves as adherents of one religion, but rather incorporate various elements in a syncretic fashion. There are small Christian and other minorities as well, with the Christian population dating to as early as the 1500s, as a result of European missionary work before sakoku was implemented from 1635–1853. Demography of Japan The demographic features of the population of"
"of Jehovah's Witnesses was 216,472 active publishers, united in 3,056 congregations; 310,215 people attended annual celebration of Lord's Evening Meal in 2013. Before 1945 they were banned in Japan. Many Jehovah's Witnesses were jailed; one of them, Katsuo Miura, was in the Hiroshima prison during the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. As of year-end 2009, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) reported 29 stakes, 14 districts, 163 wards, 125 branches, 7 missions, and 3 temples in Japan. As of July 2016, there are 128,216 members. The LDS Church was established in Japan in 1901 when the first"
"organisations, and since there are no formal rituals to become a member of folk ""Shinto"", ""Shinto membership"" is often estimated counting those who join organised Shinto sects. Shinto has 100,000 shrines and 78,890 priests in the country. With the profound changes that the Japanese society has gone through in the 20th century, and especially after World War II, including rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, traditional religions were challenged by the transformation and underwent a reshaping themselves, and principles of religious freedom articulated by the constitution provided space for the proliferation of new religious movements. Both new sects of Shinto and movements"
"Islam in Japan The history of Islam in Japan is relatively brief in relation to the religion's longstanding presence in other nearby countries. Islam is one of the smallest minority faiths in Japan, having more adherents in the country than the Bahá'í faith, but fewer than Christianity. There were isolated occasions of Muslims in Japan before the 19th century. Today, Muslims are made up of largely immigrant communities, as well as smaller ethnic Japanese community. In 2016, Japan accepted 0.3% of refugee applicants, many of whom are Muslim. There are isolated records of contact between Islam and Japan before the"
"ceremonies. Architecturally resembling churches, wedding chapels have sprung up across Japan, with employees dressed as priests officiating. Black gospel music has had an enthusiastic reception in Japan. Stylistic elements from this genre are employed in many J-pop songs. Catholicism in Japan exists in communion with the worldwide Roman Catholic Church under the authority of the Pope in Rome. Presently there are about 509,000 Catholics in 16 dioceses in Japan. The patron saints of Japan are Francis Xavier and Peter Baptist. Arriving in Japan in the middle of the 16th century, Catholicism was potentially the second contact of Christianity in Japan"