When we talk about “the lost,” many people do not think of Japan since it
has the third-largest economy in the world. However, according to the Joshua
Project, Japanese are the second-largest unreached people group in the world.
Japan has a long religious tradition with several of the major religions of the
world, including Buddhism and Shintoism. With a population of more than 127
million people, less than 1 percent are professing Christians. Japan is a country
facing major challenges and showing great spiritual need.
The traditional religions of Japan are not meeting the needs of the Japanese
people today. Though research would show more than 90 million people identify with one of the traditional historical religions, they find no answer to their
deep spiritual needs.
The country’s youth have lost their way, and they are becoming known
as the lost generation. One and a half million Japanese youth have chosen
to withdraw from society due to the pressure and hopelessness they face in
living out their daily lives in what is known as hikikomori. The Japan Holiness
Church has launched their new ministry, called Next Generation, with the
goal of reaching out specifically to this lost generation. Many others of all
ages have not withdrawn completely, but are facing the pressure of society
and becoming more hopeless.
The sex industry has become one of the largest industries in Japan. The
practice of enjo kosai, which is compensated dating by middle-aged men
with middle-school-aged girls, has become a serious problem. The country
has faced more than 30,000 suicides each year for the last 14 years. Many
Japanese have chosen to end their lives, unable to deal with the pressures
they face in Japanese culture today. On top of these challenges, there was the
great earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, which resulted in the deaths of
18,000 people, tremendous destruction of property, and many people without homes.
The church has struggled to reach the people of Japan, but the response
of Christians to the disaster has opened the door for sharing the Gospel.
Several unreached towns in the area of the disaster now have churches in
their communities as a result of the church’s (body of believers’) response
to the suffering faced by the survivors in a unified and generous way. Both
the Japan Holiness Church and One Mission Society (through the gracious
gifts of the OMS family) responded to this need. The church has come, and
stayed, in ministering to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the
people. It is essential for the church to move outside of its doors to touch the
people for Christ. OMS’ Christian Mission Church seeks to reach the community by creating multiplying worshiping groups. Through these groups,
people are trained and discipled to evangelize and disciple new believers,
who, in turn, will evangelize and disciple believers and create new worshiping groups.
Now is the time for the Gospel to penetrate the hearts and souls of the
Japanese. This is a door we cannot fail to walk through, but we need many
new workers both as missionaries and Japanese coworkers to respond to
the call to reach a lost Japan.
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