Furlough Season

 

Is it weird to be back in the USA? How are your children doing? These are questions that we often hear since we have returned from Japan about two months ago now on a new furlough. Since originally going to Japan this is our third furlough return as a family since going on the field to do ministry many years ago. We try to stay in Japan for four years and come back to the USA for one year in cycles. It is not a requirement, just a decision that we made on how to do ministry. The last time we were in the USA was during the Covid season, so our furlough season was shortened as we were not able to meet many of our supporting churches! However, this time we will be in the USA for almost a full year to intentionally visit churches and people across the land.

Why even have a furlough? Furlough is the season for a missionary when they return to their native country to see family, report to churches, and rest. Mission agencies found that it is highly beneficial for long-term stability, even if a missionary does not seem to see its value. Even in modern times with constant connectivity on the internet it is important to invest actual furlough seasons. It is crucial for the missionary to have time to come back to his native land, be encouraged, raise additional support, see family, go to church, have important fellowship, minister to others, know his sending churches, encourage others to follow God's calling onto the mission field, and understand how his native country has changed. The fields are white, but laborers are few as Jesus said. Missionaries can greatly impact the local church for the cause of global missions in being used of God to inspire people to serve. What about other reasons?

For the Missionary child it is very important to take a furlough. For missionary children it is especially important to understand where they come from, what enables a missionary to do his work, what his home culture is, and what his identity is. Often times missionary children have a hard time in life understanding who they are, or what they are supposed to do. Are they called to the field as well? There are many sad stories about these children and their life struggles. Often times they can become entitled when people give them many gifts or they develop a victim mentality when people feel sorry for them for 'having to live overseas without a choice'. They need to develop an important biblical understanding of identity and balance in life in order to prepare for their future. So, the next time that you see a missionary child at your church, take some time to listen to them and talk with them. They will be grateful!

So, is it weird to be back in the USA? Short answer: Yes. Japan is the opposite of the USA in every way. However, it is also very comforting to be in the USA. We enjoy the freedom here, the peace, the graceful people, the common language, the nature, and the food. At the beginning of a furlough there is a honeymoon stage in which everything is wonderful. At this point in our journey we are at that stage. However, as time goes on that will change as we begin to think back to our ministry in Japan and the people there more frequently. There will be struggles to adjust in the USA as we see changes in churches, family, and friends – perhaps even deaths of loved ones. Finally, during the last stage, we will learn to continue on and be ready to journey back on the field Lord willing. Furlough season is a blessing from God for international ministries. We are glad to come and serve wherever we are at. We are thankful to God and the people who make that possible.   

Japan's Abandoned Houses: Akiya

 

For the past few years social media outlets have been quick to share the news about Japan's abandoned houses known as Akiya. I have had a few people contact me about them since I have been living in Japan, so I decided that it is finally time to write about it. It is said that there are upwards of 9 million potential Akiya homes throughout Japan. How is this possible? It is said that due to Japan's continual population decline as well as increased desire to leave small towns in search of a better life in the city that Japan's Akiya numbers have skyrocketed. Even now it is not uncommon to find large abandoned houses for sale at rock bottom prices throughout Japan. Websites like Akiyabanks have been setup to find these places rapidly. How is this scenario even possible?

In Japan the general mindset concerning housing is that it is simply for living, not necessarily a long-term investment. In America before the various housing booms of the 1990s housing was also generally considered a place to live as opposed to an investment. Later when house flipping and speculation became the norm house prices began to rise dramatically. However in Japan the mindset was far different. Due to factors such as stagnant wages, low availability of quality housing materials, and an environment of continual natural disasters houses were used for short periods of time and changed out for relatively low prices. A house was expected to last 20 to 30 years, not a lifetime. In Japan in general the value of houses decline over time, while land tends to increase in value. So, when family passes away and their old houses were ready to go to the next generation, the heirs generally decide to let them foreclose rather than pay off huge inheritance taxes and the costs necessary to update these home. Because of this many millions of homes just sat for years and broke down into their current conditions. Japanese people would rather demolish an old house and start over than go through all of the headaches and expenses of updating an old house. Most Japanese do not have the time or resources to do this. This is why it is very common to see an old house in a Japanese neighborhood torn down rather than renovated. But, what if you did want to buy that old Akiya?

In general with Japan's highly bureaucratic nature it is not exactly easy to take over an abandoned house and fix it up, but it can be done. You do not necessarily have to be a resident to buy property in Japan, but it will be almost impossible to get it financed in Japan. It will have to be paid 100% with cash. Getting that amount of cash into Japan will require a Japanese bank account which requires some form of residency unless you can somehow do a transfer overseas with special resources which will incur more expenses. Legal issues over the ownership of the house will need to be settled which could potentially be a very lengthy and expensive process. Rather than deal with an old house, most people would prefer to let the houses fade into obscurity. Many of these houses also have issues with mold, termites, foundational cracks, or roof issues, which will require specialized skills and knowledge of the resources available in Japan to fix them. These projects can easily go into the tens of thousands of dollars or more to do. Old housing material is potentially not easily disposed and must be categorized and disposed properly by the proper people which can also potentially be costly. Once renovated, the house will need to pass modern inspections which will require many potential extra costs as well as more potential bureaucratic difficulties. Some houses may not even be legally rebuilt! All of these factors can be difficult given that many of these houses are in very rural areas in which it is difficult to get anything done in a timely manner let alone find a contractor willing to help. Even if you are able to successfully navigate all of these factors many areas will require you to live in the house full time as a resident for a certain period of time which will require a longer-term visa.

With all of that being said there are those who are able to find a few of these houses that are profitable. Some house flippers from the West with certain knowledge of Japan have been able to renovate these houses and turn them into AirBNB rentals successfully. This has caused tension with native Japanese. Many Japanese neighborhoods do no appreciate houses being turned into AirBNB rentals that bring noisy obnoxious foreign visitors, but would much rather that they remain an old abandoned house. Public pressure is mounting against AirBNB rentals in general. In recent times Japanese officials have begun to crack down on these investors, making it more and more difficult to become profitable or even doable. It seems as if the days of flipping Akiyas may be coming to an end. However, if you are interested in living in Japan long-term in a rural area an Akiya may be a good option if you are willing to jump through all of the various hoops!

As a missionary living in Japan for many years to me the Akiya itself is a foreboding reflection of the continual rapid population decline issue in Japan. Like the Akiya, many elderly people are ignored, dying alone in obscurity with no care. Now upwards to 30% of the population is in retirement age with no real solutions to increase the population. These modern problems do not seem to have any reasonable Japanese solutions. Rather than deal with the issues most Japanese people seem to be content with letting things decline slowly just like the Akiya, and even make it increasingly difficult for those who try to go against the system to make helpful changes. However, only by facing issues directly can they be resolved. This is how Jesus dealt with the issues of his day. Even now Jesus is working on the hearts and minds of many Japanese people. By making peace with the creator, Jesus Christ, the Japanese people can truly find the societal revitalization that they will need to move forward as a people, not fade into obscurity like the Akiya.  

2025 Year in Review

 

Another year of serving in Japan has come and gone. It is time to once again reflect upon the last year. Here is the theme verse of this year:

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” – Galatians 6:9 KJV

This year has been characterized by carefully plowing and planting gospel seeds in the rocky spiritual soil of Japan. At times it does not seem like much is happening, however God is always working even when we cannot readily see every detail. We have been reminded continually by stories of Japanese people hearing the gospel decades ago and finally accepting it in their old age. We have continued to meet people in our local community, form relationships, and share the gospel slowly. In a country that is the furthest away from the West culturally it certainly takes considerable time to communicate new concepts found in the Bible. In the last year many Japanese people have come to visit the mission, and for that we are thankful. A few have decided to continue relations by attending the Sunday children's school. Here we have been using opportunities to teach free English and Bible lessons to children. We have also used this opportunity to teach Bible lessons to the parents attending. We also continue to consistently teach many adults English using the Bible throughout the week. The Bible is such a foreign concept to Japanese people, whose identity is deeply shaped by their culture, that it can seem completely alien to them. So, it is not surprising that it can take a long time for them to understand what is being communicated.

Many centuries ago their ancestors chose to reject God and taught their children to do the same leading to the situation that they find themselves in today. In a culture that has no concept of sin the first obstacle is always communicating what sin is and why it is an issue. The next issue is to communicate who God is to them, and their need to establish a relationship with Him. The people seem to understand that they have a void in their life, but are uncertain about how to find true peace. The final issue is encouraging them to follow through with making peace with God even if the group is opposed to God. Unfortunately, they appear highly skeptical of anything outside of the norms acceptable to Japanese society. This culture has taken every measure conceivable over many centuries to shield itself from God. However, it is not completely impossible to reach them, as we have been able to lead a few Japanese people to the Lord this year. Using biblical example, to us it seems as though the camel cannot pass through the eye of the needle, but to God nothing is impossible.

We have also been able to do various outreaches to the many foreign groups living here in Japan. Many foreign people here in Japan and online appear to be far more open to the gospel. This year with online ministry outreach alone we have personally led 171 people to the Lord. Through these experiences I have had a lot of interactions with Muslims enough to write a book on the matter called, “Four Paths out of Islam”. In the last year I have personally encountered Muslims from Indonesia more than any other time living in Japan. Japan itself is at a crossroads of deciding on what to do with the influx of foreigners as well as the critical issue of population decline. From the time that I came here in 2014 to now the population has gone from 127 million to 123 million, and that is even with the increase of foreigners moving here! Many Japanese people desire to return to the old ways while others realize that the old ways do not have solutions to modern problems.

This year many foreigners have visited Japan as tourists after many campaigns to promote Japan have been pushed for years by the government. The result has been over 40 million people coming to visit Japan this year. The Japanese people seem to be fatigued in general by the influx of people visiting. Rapid exposure to various cultures has caused many people from a historically isolation-oriented society to become increasingly fatigued with foreigners in general. An already overburdened public transportation system seems even more overwhelmed with tourists flowing into certain populated areas. The media has also consistently blamed foreigners for all of Japan's problems. In reality only 3.2% of the nation consists of foreigners. In the past Japan has traditionally closed itself off from foreign influx at various times, leading to isolation. In recent days it seems like the Japanese people want to make it more difficult to live in Japan, and more costly to visit Japan. As the Japanese economy declines more the average person is having a hard time paying the bills. When they see foreign people coming to Japan, traveling around, eating expensive foods, and having fun they become increasingly bitter. They have told themselves for years that their system is the best, but are faced with the hard reality that things are not perhaps as good as they have been taught to believe. Will these cracks in the system demonstrate that no system made by man can create a utopia on earth? For some looking for the truth these cracks will be what is needed to consider God in their lives, for others these cracks will mean that they need to try harder to maintain the system already in place. Systems will fade, but only God remains. We hope and pray wherever this is reaching you around the world that you have a Blessed New Year!

Group Circles

 

As understood by those who have spent any length of time trying to understand Japan knows, it is considered to be a group culture. It is said that this culture was developed out of necessity from living on a dangerous island containing a scarcity of vital resources to support life. Valuing the group over the individual became necessary for continued civilizational survival. Over time from Confucian influenced ideas Japan's unique Bushido culture was developed. In it are a few important tenants described as follows from this video :

1) Keeping harmony is the top priority. It is more important than progress or development or truth.

2) People have an advanced ability to read the air (sense the mood) and sense relationships between people within the group.

3) Each person will try to act good and be polite to not stand out, regardless of what they are truly thinking. (Less honest, more two faced)

4) People will automatically trust the people in their community, because there is hardly any merit in betraying or creating disorder within the group. (strong organizational power)

5) People will be extremely exclusive against outsiders, because the common rules and system of the group won't be applied against strangers. (low communication skills)

These Bushido concepts help to form the invisible set of rules that all Japanese adhere to. They are primarily taught through the education system and are enforced by society as well as the home. In many regards to be Japanese is to adhere to these principles without question. Those who follow these tenants closely are highly valued, whereas those who do not are by others shamed. Those who can control the group through their powers of persuasion yield the greatest authority. Every group has different morality yet still generally adheres to these invisible Bushido principles. The benefits are high social trust, social harmony, and low crime. The downsides being no truth, low compassion, low moral courage, and little progress. Safety and adherence to the rules are more important than freedom. For the sake of social harmony Japanese people can wear multiple “masks” depending on which group they are dealing with. When continuing in this manner it would be easy to get lost and forget what is true and what isn't. It is a reason why it is difficult for Japanese to have free conversations, to think outside the box, or to mature in general. To lose one's identity in a web of confusion would not be hard to do here. Japanese people do just that by escaping the strict societal rules with alcohol, sex, gambling, and entertainment.

Many Japanese people see the flaws in this system and are at odds about how to fix it. Inevitably, many like the man in the video above will double down to try to revive Bushido traditions hoping to seek a utopia. However, the very definition of insanity is to try the same thing over again expecting different results. To continue on that path would also be following pride that leads to destruction. The solution is not more strict adherence to the man-made traditions set forth in Bushido in the hopes of cultural redemption for a broken nation, but for each person to embrace a loving relationship with their Creator through Jesus Christ. Harmony needs truth. Jesus Christ is that truth.

Law versus Reality

 

As of the writing of this blog, I have lived in Japan for eleven years now. Coming from a Rule of Law country where laws determine the rules rather than arbitrary decisions from groups or individuals, over time I was surprised to see how things actually work in practice in Japan. Though Japan is considered a rule of law country, its core societal beliefs can be traced back to three concepts: No God, No Ultimate Text or Truth, and No Contracts. These core beliefs impact their view of truth, daily life, and the role of the law greatly. Before World War 2 Japan was ruled by an ancient god-emperor setup. After defeat it was reluctantly transformed into a Westernized style government complete with an Americanized constitution guaranteeing certain rights which brought with it a Rule of Law type system. On all outward appearances Japan is just that, a Rule of Law country. The Japanese people have come to tolerate or even appreciate living under this type of system as long as it does not interfere with their cultural norms. However, when it comes to enforcement of laws, often time Japan is very much a system based upon subjective ideas that have more to do with maintaining harmony according to group specifications. In short, the local official determines the enforcement of the law. Often times when consulted local officials will give very different answers! It may also be why Japanese people are known to take a very long time meeting in groups to discuss important matters before making any decisions. A careful harmony-based risk aversion society beneficial to the group is in place.

On paper the law indicates that everyone should wear Bicycle Helmets, but virtually no one does as there is no enforcement. On paper taxes, medical insurance, and governmental fees must be paid, but in reality it is said that only 63% of foreigners living in Japan actually do so. This has been a cause of societal angst. In many cases Japanese do not really know what to do with foreigners because it is expected that the foreign person should know what to do without being told what to do. The idea is that societal rules should be understood over time by living here. The group mentality influence is so great that it is very difficult if not impossible in some ways for a Japanese person to think outside of it and consider other ideas. In many cases they literally do not understand foreigners, which has become an issue in an increasingly internationalized world. No issue is more problematic than that of the issue of child abductions. On paper Japan is part of the Hague Convention for International Child Abduction which requires children to be returned to the country where they lived in mostly, but in reality it is not enforced, so one parent can take children to Japan and keep them for good. This has been a continual complaint for many years as many children have been abducted by one parent and never seen again. The enforcement of the law often times will be to benefit the Japanese person or group rather than the truth. The allegiance is to the group rather than the truth, to maintain harmony in the community, not necessarily to accomplish justice against the 'evildoer' in the name of truth.

This all goes back to the unwritten societal core beliefs of No God, No Ultimate Text or Truth, and No Contracts. Logically, these core principles become the objective truth for Japan even though they reject objective truth! If there is no God, then the government or group become the ultimate authority. This pattern is seemingly repeated throughout history for all societies that reject God. If there is no ultimate text or truth, then the subjective dictates of the group determine what is right or wrong. If there are no Contracts then the written agreements really mean nothing, or they can be changed arbitrarily. When Rule of Law concepts clash with Japanese Culture it will be the culture that wins out in the end in Japan. Rule of Law does not mean anything without an objective truth and moral basis to enforce the law behind it. A society that is made in its own image that does not allow for God, is what the Japanese have made for themselves. Unfortunately, in the West as societies reject God, Rule of Law, is also rejected, which leads to similar situations. Many Western countries still have a sizable portion of the population that adheres to Christian principles. In Japan there is a visible Christian minority that hovers around one percent of the population. Surprisingly, many Christians are in upper levels of Japanese government! Perhaps society as a whole rejects God, however there are many of those in leadership that acknowledge the need for God in order to get wisdom to govern. Let us pray for the Japanese people to break through the fog of subjectivity so that they may come to Christ! There are many unforeseen and foreseen benefits of a society whose people are governed by a Bible based world-view.

Time

 

Growing up in America in the 90s my stereotypical idea of the orient was that of the Zen Buddhist image of peace, serenity, and harmony. When I first came to Japan I expected life to be very much along those same perceptions that were impressed upon me. However, when I arrived I found Japan to be very different from my Zen Buddhist conception. Outwardly the people were very quiet and respectful, but the reality of their daily lives did not appear to be that way. In Japan, especially Tokyo, people are very busy or rather tend to give the appearance of constant busyness. From a young age life is very planned and scheduled to the greatest detail. For most it is expected that at a young age one should be placed into a ideal preschool, then kindergarten, then elementary school, and so on with the ultimate goal being entry into the inevitable competition that leads to never-ending upward mobility. By the time one becomes an adult life becomes so planned that one must carry a calendar around at all times to schedule meetings with friends or family weeks ahead of time. Such is the reality of modern Japan. But, how did it get to be this way?

After World War 2 came to an end the Japanese people set about to reconstruct their country while discovering their new identity in the modern world. Written into their constitution was the solemn pledge to become a pacifistic nation which set them on the path to seeking greatness through economic means, and such they did. By the time the 80s came around Japan was number two economically only to the United States. From a young age Japanese people were put into a system that sought to prepare them to become corporate samurai; to give their life for the company. Hence, the company became number one. It was not until the 90s that the economic bubble burst leading to widespread despair. The hope of constant upward mobility ended abruptly. Yet, up until recent times the Japanese have continued on their path to producing corporate samurai. What other options were their? Now with mounting financial issues, family breakdowns, health issues, population decline, and general future uncertainty the Japanese people find themselves at another crossroads to determine their future. It is all coming down to life priorities.

To past generations the company was clearly the main priority. Now that Japan is a seemingly wealthy country with complex issues the company does not seem to be the main priority any longer. Perhaps family, hobbies, or even God are starting to be considered as relevant to daily life. After observing the realities of Japan's past, this current generation seems to be a lost generation seeking new purpose. The promises of godless capitalism seem increasingly empty to them. In a world where everyone appears busy, safe, and with life scheduled to the Nth degree; people are disconnected from one another, but what can be done? For many the solution is denying reality through some various form of escapism. Yet the senses can only be dulled for so long. For a small number willing to see, hope comes from God through the gospel message. In a world where time is gold, will there be a few brave souls willing to invest their gold into eternal returns? In the meantime I will take out my calendar and schedule a meeting with anyone here willing to learn about God.  

2024 Year in Review

 

Once again a new year is upon us. What have we learned in the past year? What has happened in Japan? It is time to reflect upon the last year. Here is the verse of the year:

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:19 KJV

Though the context does not apply to us, the truth remains that it is God that has the powers to make rivers in the desert. After living here for ten years Japan seems very much like a spiritual desert in many ways. It is always God who brings life to the desert. It is God who will build His church supernaturally. After praying consistently this year we decided to rent a space to establish a mission in an an area that is a true spiritual desert in Japan. We did it trusting that God would do something requiring our faith to trust Him. Prior to that we had lived in our area for two years gradually making contacts and meeting with them. We believed it was time to move to the next step. When it came time to negotiate to rent the space that would become the mission we did not know what would happen, so we prayed about it extensively. Many places in Japan would not rent a space to be used for any kind of church activity, however this location would be fine with us using it for teaching purposes. So we told them of our purpose to use it as a space for teaching Bible and English using the Bible. This location can be used as a meeting place at best unless God changes the hearts of the owners to allow us to use it as a church in the future. So we would turn it into a mission, lead people to the Lord, then trust God for the next step. They accepted our proposal for use which led to the next phase: remodeling.

I had not done any kind of building related projects in many years, so I had to ask a lot of questions, talk with contractors, and watch many YouTube videos. Slowly we remodeled the property mostly by ourselves with the help of one Japanese friend that I had met in a park previously. He had the skills to “mud” the drywall in preparation for painting and wall paper. After we finished the walls, painted them, and finished wall paper we set about putting down the floor. Everything was complete for the open house in April. During this time, without asking, different Japanese people provided us with chairs, tables, a microwave, a refrigerator, a marker-board, and a couch. It was all coming together. For the grand opening we had some visitors from the USA come for the first time in years. They were very helpful during their stay. The people that we met during this opening time who started to come take English classes using the Bible have been good students to this day. They have improved their English and Bible knowledge. Two others who came to one class and left because they did not want to use the Bible have still met with us consistently. We have been able to get to know them better and share spiritual truths with them over time. Please pray for them. We have met with and invested in the lives of many Japanese people in the last year, but none of them have yet chosen to trust Christ as Savior. This seems to be the norm for Japanese people. They are very careful about spiritual matters. Once one does accept Christ we can begin to teach them more about the Bible, and Lord-willing move to form the beginnings of a church together. It takes a lot of dedicated born-again believers to form a functioning church. In this nation it takes a long time even for one to become born-again and there is no real guarantee that they will choose to openly dedicate themselves to a church. The words of life must spring up in the desert to cause growth. We have carefully sought to use the mission as a place for the words of life to be fostered in the hearts of Japanese people.

Our firm desire to plant many gospel seeds throughout Tokyo has continued as we ventured to new areas by car, train, bike, and foot to put out 52,000 Japanese gospel tracts. Though we have spent many hours investing in the Japanese people we have also not been slack in this last year investing in global evangelism at large. As it is not wise to “place all of your eggs in one basket” financially, we do not believe it is wise to do the same spiritually. This year we have continued to invest in a native Indian pastor in Eastern India. For the second year we have invested in him by helping him with educational resources online, encouraging him, giving him knowledge, and preaching for him twice a month over the internet. He travels around potentially dangerous village areas of India to share the gospel with whoever will listen. He has a church planted and is slowly growing it. We have also attended the annual international festivals that take place in Tokyo for nations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and China. Each event was attended and thoroughly gospel-tracted. It is worth going to these as there are thousands of people from all around Asia who live in Tokyo. We have also continued to spend an hour a day online doing soul-winning which has led to leading 173 people to the Lord for the first time.

Looking back on the year has not all been victories. There has been real times of tiredness, stress, sickness, loneliness, frustration, and fear. All is to be expected as a pioneer in a strange land. However, when we step out in faith we start to see God cause a river to spring forth in the desert.

Church Planting on Stony Ground: Revisiting Japan's Situation

 

“And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.” – Mark 4:5-6 (Jesus in the Parable of the Sower)

This week will be important to me as it will be my ten year anniversary for living in Japan. Recently I was re-watching this old video about global missions. In the video a division can be seen setup between three different types of worlds that exist within global Christian missions. They classify these divisions as world A, B, and C. World C, which is 33% of the population, is the “Christian” world that has some kind of Christian influenced system or understanding. World B, which is 38% of the population, is non-Christian with access to the gospel, but has chosen not to accept it. World A, which is 29% of the population, is non-Christian with no access to the gospel or no chance of hearing it. The video goes on to say that a vast majority, or 72% of missionaries and resources are sent to World C. Another 25% of missionaries and resources are sent to World B, while the remaining 3% is sent to World A. This video was made years ago and little has probably changed since then with the only exception being that of greater internet access globally. This global internet access has greatly impacted World A in ways in which traditional missionaries have not been able to.

This brings us to Japan. According to Joshua Project missions statistics Japan is currently 0.57% Evangelical Christian with 2.16% overall “Christian”. In 1853 the United States Navy forcefully opened up Japan to the rest of the world with Missionaries arriving shortly thereafter for the first time in hundreds of years. It has now been about 171 years since that time with not a lot of huge changes happening toward accepting of Christ for this nation. Multiple Bibles have been translated, many Christian resources have been established, many churches have been planted within thirty minutes to one hour of every Japanese person (though there are some mid-sized cities with no churches still), and a small Christian sub-culture exists in Japan. All of these factors firmly place Japan into “World B”. Great access to the gospel with constant rejection of it. Doing missions in “World B” requires an entirely different set of skills and level of patience. In ten years of living here many missionaries have already come and gone for various reason. One day I too will have to leave as a reality of missions. What is the reality of church-planting on stony ground?

According to Ken Joseph's book Lost Identity in the 700s AD era Christianity came to Japan for the first time, but it never took too deeply and was absorbed into a certain Buddhist sect. Buddhism that had no God suddenly found itself worshiping various Buddhas as Gods in the newly established sect. Much later in 1549 the Jesuit Francis Xavier arrived to spread Catholicism, which was initially successful with thousands of converts, only to be crushed by massive persecution leading to almost completely being erased from Japan. In 1853 after being closed for centuries Western missionaries returned and slowly spread the gospel. During World War 2 the Japanese church was entirely complicit with the government and carries with it the scars of doing that to this day. Only after World War 2 with a new generation of missionaries were many churches planted in the newly humbled nation, but the gospel never spread as hoped. In its place secular humanism, materialism, and capitalism spread which led to great material prosperity until an economic crash in occurred 1990. To this day Japan has not recovered from that economic decline, but has rather steadily declined. 

Spiritually, to this day Japanese Christians have great difficulty maintaining the churches that they have been entrusted with due mostly to aging and attrition. Just like the description in Mark 4 of the stony ground from Jesus, a strong root never took place in Japan as a nation. Even now most Japanese are proud of their rejection of Christianity of the which they are taught about in school. To them it may be the only knowledge of Christianity that they have. As a people they are heavily skeptical of anything outside of their culture, which is deeply implanted into their minds through public schooling. There is a veil as it were covering their eyes. For many it takes years to consider God, and even if they do, they are many times unwilling to take the last step of obedience for fear of what others in the group may think. For many the deathbed conversion may be the only way to make peace with God and save face with others. Only the truly courageous step forward daring to risk all to follow Christ here. 

However, with greater access to travel, international education, and the internet as well as many looming social issues many Japanese people are thinking outside the box for the first time. Will they have the courage to trust Christ or follow the path of their ancestors in rejection? Will they have the courage to live for Christ openly in their land? Will they be able to reach their own nation? Traditional Missionaries still do what a vast majority of Japanese Christians are mostly unwilling to do: boldly preach the gospel to the lost masses by going against the group. Many seeds need to be planted and watered yet. We will continue to do just that as long as God permits!

Japanese Education

 

With our recent venture into establishing a mission in Japan it would be a good time to talk about education in Japan. After having lived in Japan for awhile we have found that the main reason that Japanese people want to interact with us is so that they may learn English. There is not much interest in spiritual things. Only fear prevails. It is understood at this time in history that English is the “lingua franca” of the business world. It is said that to understand English is to gain greater access the world at large. At one time in history Japan even considered making English the official language! How does education play into this? Japanese society places high emphasis on education. Some of the highest literacy rates in the world are frequently flouted as proof of the Japanese dedication to education. It is not uncommon for Japanese parents to fiercely compete for placement into the best pre-school so that they may in turn get into the best schools further down the line. The whole of Japanese life is really built around education which is said to be the core of their civilization. Think to your perception of Japan in media. The whole stereotypical image of the “Sensei” and the student was projected onto the Western mind through movies such as “Karate Kid” as well as children's TV shows such as “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”. The teacher is highly valued as the wise master with all of the answers. In Japan there is great reverence even for the term “Sensei” which is not to be instilled lightly upon anyone. So much so, that we are careful not to call ourselves Sensei when instructing others. How is it that Japan has placed so much emphasis on education? In what way do they view education?

When Japan opened up in 1868 during the Meiji Era a strong desire was instilled by the leadership to catch up to western advancements. At the time Japan lagged behind as a backward country compared with the West in almost every way. Compulsory education combined with Japanese distinctives was seen as the way to rapidly advance. Within a few decades Japan was transformed into an industrialized advanced nation upon all outward appearances. To this day it is ranked number four worldwide for economic prowess which is said to have come from a strong educational emphasis. In their mind education has made them great and it is what makes them truly Japanese. What exactly is distinct about Japanese education?

Believe it or not, the main purpose of Japanese education is essentially to teach children how to be Japanese, not necessarily education. In Japan it is essential to be obedient to the dictates of the group. This is continually reinforced as a learned behavior from a very young age. Obedience to authority without question, working together in unison, rote memory of select information, and no allowance for critical thinking or questions all are used to create a uniquely ideal Japanese society. A uniquely man-made utopia on earth. How is this achieved? Through conformity. It must be learned that to be different from the group is bad. From a young age children are taught to dress alike, act alike, think alike, and are paired together in similar groups. This is said to create harmony. There is a strong emphasis on “inside the group” versus “outside the group”. There is also strong emphasis on giving good outward appearances, while concealing your true self. Though not intentional, this system creates a strong idolization of what is considered “inside the group” or what is uniquely Japanese above everything else. Coupled with Darwinian evolutionary thought this makes for a survival-of-the fittest scenario to play out. Foreigners, Half-Japanese, the “weak” or even Japanese who lived overseas will never completely be part of this ideal in-group. This also leads to an epic level of bullying that is prevalent throughout Japanese society at all levels. This then leads to the concept of enduring pain and suffering. Children are taught to endure all personal hardships for the sake of the group. For instance, to be exhausted all the time is to be Japanese. It is common for Japanese children to be placed in cram-schools for two to four hours after school each day. This is done not necessarily for learning, but to instill the concept of enduring hardship for the group to succeed. The main goal is to create good Japanese citizens who will unquestionably obey. Lack of analytical thinking, group-oriented conformity, and abdicating personal responsibility over to the group collective are the hallmarks of Japanese education. This is the reality of Japan. However, can this system be maintained?

The truth is, is that this system has been in decline for awhile. Japan's economy, birthrate, and conformity have been on the decline for years. Many are quietly rebelling by not get married, dropping out of the system, moving overseas, or sadly committing suicide. Their hope needs to be found elsewhere: not in this Utopian world system or any world system for that matter. Only the gospel can give them as well as mankind hope for the future. That is why we are here to spread the good news. No man-made system can free mankind from the shackles of sin. So, we are here to slowly and patiently teach the Bible to the few who will have the courage to look beyond the education that this world has to offer.  

Reading the Air

 

Anyone who has spent time learning about Japan knows that this country has a group-oriented culture. Group-oriented meaning that the group takes priority above the individual with regard to decision making. Before a decision is made Japanese people are taught from a young age to consider all possibilities of the group first. In fact, one of the Japanese educational system's objectives is to instill this way of thinking upon children. This concept is known as 空気を読む or “Reading the Air”. Without the ability to read the air it would be easy to make a social faux pa and seriously damage their reputation, therefore Japanese people are very careful about how they interact with each other. Smooth communication depends on understanding group norms even when they are not clearly communicated. To understand these norms is to be Japanese. To go against the group could mean loss of connection with friends, family, or co-workers which could have serious long-term consequences. Suddenly communication could be cut off without warning. Suddenly friends, family, or co-workers could stop interacting with you. Therefore, harmony with the group is of the utmost importance.

Because Harmony is valued above truth, objective morality does not seem as important. Rather whatever the group deems as important takes precedence. So, to avoid incurring the wrath of the group from a young age children are taught to comply with the group at all costs at the sacrifice of their individuality. The advantage is an outwardly harmonious as well as highly obedient society whereas the disadvantages are abuses, bullying, depression, escapism, intimidation, suicide, no questioning, etc. This can also be used to not take personal responsibilities for evils because they were “just doing what the group told them”, I.E. “just following orders”. Older group leaders continue the legacy of conformity to group pressure because the same was done to them when they were younger. When the potential evils of the group are realized and cannot be changed hopelessness sets in. This leads to compromising any values to please the group, intentionally becoming shallow, not asking questions, or escapism. Japanese people will either go with the group whether good or evil, try to change or dominate the group, drop out of the group and isolate, intentionally move to another country, or end their own life.

This immense group pressure is at the crux of the Japanese culture. It is the “power of the air”. As Christians, in the Bible we know that we are not to conform to this world, but are to conform to the image of Christ. The one who rules the “air” is the prince of the power of the air. In the Bible Ephesians 2:2 states, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” It is no wonder that a group of unsaved people trying to conform to each other will work against God. It is the way of the flesh which is greatly amplified with many people working together. Is it no wonder why it is so hard to break through this power to reach the hearts of Japanese people? For a Japanese person to even consider God comes at a great risk to them. Great fear exists to go against the power of the air because it is all that they have known. The only way out is for the Japanese people to realize that Jesus Christ is greater than all of their fears, and that He is the source of true freedom that they are seeking.