Christianity in Japan
Christianity in Japan is among the nation's minority religions in terms of individuals who state an explicit affiliation or faith.
In 2022, there are 1.26 million Christians[1] in Japan down from 1.9 million[2] Christians in Japan in 2019.[3] In the early years of the 21st century, between less than 1 percent[4][5] and 1.5%[2] of the population claimed Christian belief or affiliation.
Although formally banned in 1612 and today critically portrayed as a foreign "religion of colonialism", Christianity has played a role in the shaping of the relationship between religion and the Japanese state for more than four centuries.[6] Most large Christian denominations, including Catholicism, Protestantism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and Orthodox Christianity, are represented in Japan today.
Christian culture has a generally positive image in Japan.[7] The majority of Japanese people are, traditionally, of the Shinto or Buddhist faith. The majority of Japanese couples, about 60–70%, are wed in "nonreligious" Christian ceremonies. This makes Christian weddings the most influential aspect of Christianity in contemporary Japan.[8]
Etymology[edit]
The Japanese word for Christianity (キリスト教, Kirisuto-kyō) is a compound of kirisuto (キリスト) the Japanese adaptation of the Portuguese word for Christ, Cristo, and the Sino-Japanese word for doctrine (敎, kyō, a teaching or precept, from Middle Chinese kæ̀w 敎), as in Bukkyō (仏教, Japanese for Buddhism).[9]
Art and media[edit]
Christian art in Japan dates back to the 16th century, with traditional shrines and Japanese artwork depicting the Christian faith within Japan.[60][61][62][63] When Christianity was illegal in Japan, the local Christians developed distinctive forms of Christian art, literature, and cultural practices.[64][65]
Christian media is prevalent within the popular culture of Japan, despite its relatively small Christian population. Superbook was a mainstream anime during the 1980s, and it remains a popular Christian media franchise worldwide.[66] Because of this Christianity remains a popular topic in manga and anime, including Trigun and Saint Young Men.[67][68] Gospel and contemporary Christian music are part of popular music in the country, the largest Christian music festival in the country is the Sunza Rock Festival, which is where many of Japan's CCM artists and bands perform.[69][70][71]
International Christian University is the alma mater of several Japanese media professionals, including Kaz Hirai, the former chairman of Sony.[72] Sony owns several Christian media studios and outlets, including the Pure Flix streaming service.[73]