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.  

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.

"Yes, but I'm Japanese."

 

After hearing a powerful gospel presentation, even being moved by God's Spirit in ways never experienced before, most Japanese will respond that they cannot become Christian simply because they are “Japanese.” What does this mean? To the Japanese person they are taught at a very young age that their primary identity is to be “Japanese” above all other things. That Japanese identity consists of elevating the group beliefs above the individual's personal desire or conscience. The personal desires or beliefs of the individual are seen as selfish if they are in opposition to the group norms. The individual has little value compared with the group, so much so that even in the Japanese language “I” or “you” are rarely used. Even if a Japanese person knows that Buddhism and Shintoism are false while Christianity is true, they still will not embrace this truth because their identity is mixed up with the false notion of what it means to be Japanese. They are captive to this domineering mindset. Japanese are taught to forcibly suppress their own desires (and conscience) in order to please the group at any cost. This is the cost of societal cohesion in their understanding. So when the eldest son of a family refuses truth not because he knows that it is true, but because he is expected to do it for the sake of his family and ancestor's dignity, he is seen as valiant by his fellow countrymen. To the Western mind, especially the American, this is a particularly hard concept to grasp or begin to even understand.

As Americans we often take for granted the fact that we can freely choose our beliefs without changing our identities as Americans. However, for most of the world the identity along with beliefs are combined together into one system. This is why when America was founded it was such a radical experiment in so many ways. We can thank the Baptists for this system of understanding that they gleaned from the Bible. Early Baptist Americans understood the necessity for separation of church and state, which allowed the individual to freely choose their beliefs without being compelled by the state as was in the case of Europe. In the European system an infant identified with a church and state combined system was baptized into a certain church thereby establish his loyalty as well as identity for life to that system. Their loyalty was said to be cemented to God and the state where they lived. The concept of freely choosing beliefs derives from the Baptist idea of individual soul liberty, or the ability for each man to choose a belief according to his conscious, which is why the ancient Anabaptist was hated so much for the crime of “re-baptism” or “believer's baptism” as we know it now. To re-baptize was seen as an act of rebellion against the state that you were committed to as an infant through baptism. In most of the world the individual is simply an arm of the state. The state dictated what the individual was to believe whether it be Islam in Saudi Arabia, Catholicism in Italy, or Anglicanism in the U.K. for example; various countries imposed belief systems upon their populace. In Europe loyalty from birth to the state was unquestionably accepted until certain peasants began to read the Bible for themselves in their own language. The rest is history.

So, back to Japan. What is the Bible's response to this mindset? Interestingly, Jesus himself confronted a similar mindset in the scriptures. Matthew 16:21-26 KJV recounts the situation. “From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” In this situation Peter is trying to convince Jesus to suppress Himself in order to maintain the status quo. For the sake of maintaining life as usual in the group Peter essentially tries to get Jesus to deny what He knows to be true about Himself. Jesus response is telling. He rebukes Peter, calling him Satan. Jesus says that Peter values the things of men above the things of God. This is essentially the same temptation that Japanese are faced with in responding to the gospel, which is to value the things of men (in their case group norms) above the things of God (truth of Bible). Jesus then takes it a step further and says to his disciples that any who wish to follow Him must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him. He is saying to them to deny their own comforts in this present world, to embrace the truth with all of the sufferings it will bring, and follow after Him. To follow Christ is to go against the norms of the world system no matter what country is represented. He continues by asking what profit is there from gaining the world at the cost of the soul. Anyone who rejects the truth of Christ may gain comfort or riches in this world, but will ultimately lose His own soul eternally. So, for the Japanese person the cost to be with the ancestors is great, but are they completely aware of the eternal implications? The epic struggle of truth versus harmony lives on in the Japanese soul whenever the gospel is presented.

The Family Unit: East and West

 

What makes a family a family? Recently this question has been causing conflict in Western society as societal norms have increasingly been challenged in the ongoing culture war. The Anglo-Saxon world view in specific constituting the “Anglo-sphere” has at its core foundation the typical Protestant Biblical world view of a family that comes directly from Genesis 2:24 as follows:

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they both shall be one flesh.”

From this solitary verse we can gather the necessity of monogamy, independence, and distinct male headship over the nuclear family. From this worldview we tend to have an individual un-egalitarian nuclear family structure in each household. People tended to move away from their family to start a new family. A new family supported themselves economically by not sharing housing with parents or siblings. Though the father is considered the head of the house, he was not generally authoritarian when it came to the decisions of his adult children. There was no tier system of hierarchy where the oldest son dominated the rest of the family in decisions and inheritance once the father passed on. From this mindset came the great expansive spirit to settle new lands, bold risk-taking, bold creativity, innovation, and adaptation to challenges on a great scale. In “Protestant” Christianity this led to great freedom of choice within interpretation of the Bible through different denominations for better or for worse. In the West in general this also led to freedom of choices with multiple religions and opposing ideas as opposed to one core identity that could not be questioned.

All of these characteristics are what we traditionally in the “Anglo-sphere” understand and accept. Even outside of this within the Western world (Latin America, Catholic Europe, Protestant Europe, Slavic Countries, etc.) there are many similarities and core traits that allow us to understand each other easily. For this reason in the West we also have the tenancy to be able to accept the gospel in a much easier way. However, there were also weaknesses with one being that many became so individualistic as to ignore the group completely by embracing a form of rebellion against the system. (Think counter-culture 1960s era thinking.) No system is without its weakness. Even today in more urban areas people in general in the West are moving away from the traditional nuclear family understanding.

However, what if your core idea of a family is not bound by these Western ideas? What if your idea of family comes from Confucianism rather than the Bible? Take this quote for instance:

“There are three degrees of filial piety. The highest is being a credit to our parents, the second is not disgracing them; the lowest is being able simply to support them.” - Confucius

In Japan, the ancient tradition of filial-piety still strongly influences society. At the head of the family is the father who traditionally makes all of the important decisions including who their children marry and what they will do for work. The eldest son is to inherit this role as family retainer and must take it seriously without personal choice once his father passes away. The father is in turn subservient to the larger group community in his area or greater family if he moves to an urban area. These families were registered with the local Buddhist temple for legitimacy. For the Japanese for hundreds of years group loyalty guaranteed survival on an island with limited resources and the inward thinking mindset that it developed. In this filial-piety system, the young were to serve their parents, often living together in the same house, which became particularly hard for a new daughter-in-law coming into a new group having to obey her mother-in-law in a servant-like capacity. Rather than leave and cleave, children were to stay and obey. Marriage was based upon continuing the family unit (clan), not necessarily choice or love. Arranged marriages were the norm for hundreds of years. Only after World War Two were the introduction of the nuclear family and Western ideas of marriage popularized leading to a weakening of the traditional filial piety system. To this day many Japanese are confused as to what system they should embrace. From these few examples we can see some radical differences in the understanding of the family unit.

Why does all of this matter? In more ways than one when a Japanese person is introduced to the truth of the gospel they have to consider what impact it will have upon their filial-piety oriented family structure, which is especially powerful in rural areas. They are taught to consider the will of the group before the will of the self. If they go home and tell their father that they are now Christian they often times are disowned believing that they bring great shame to their family as well as the community for going against the ancient traditional belief system as well as parents wishes. Shame and loss of group connections is the ultimate source of pain and rejection in this system. Japanese people are taught from a young child that pleasing the group wishes is the ultimate measure of happiness. To go against this system is to cease to be Japanese. It is also a reason why Japanese Christians tend to be secretive, not evangelistic, and often times turn inward when it comes to their churches. Japanese churches tend to become a filial-piety oriented buddy system based upon culture rather than biblical example since they often times are overwhelmingly influenced by their world. If they do live by the biblical model they are often shamed by society at large as well as actively shamed from other church members who still retain the deeply rooted filial-piety system mindset. This mindset hinders the spread of the gospel as well as the planting of new churches, which may be one of the reasons why the growth of the gospel is slow here. If Westerners are hesitant to allow their kids to spread the gospel elsewhere, how do you think those living under the filial-piety system will feel about their children spreading the gospel? Becoming ministers? Often times in general Japanese know that the gospel is true, however they are just afraid to accept it because of the dire consequences that they perceive it will bring them. To many they would rather lose their own soul and gain the only world that they have ever known and were taught to embrace as the key to happiness. However, for those who wish to reject the world and obey God there is always great reward. Often times dedicated Japanese Christian families are some of the most spiritual, sacrificial, and dedicated people out there due to their up-bringing. Their respect as well as obedience to God is great. We in the West could learn from these type of Christians. Pray for Japan and Japanese Christians to fight the power of the world's influence in their lives.

The Japanese Danchi System

 

A key component to the Japanese city, the Danchi system, exists a network of government housing complexes built to keep up with the demands of a once-growing urban population. After World War Two during Japan's rebuilding process a shift took place to move away from the traditional small multi-generational home living setup to a large apartment complex living situation focused around the “nuclear family” household. These new housing units became the envy of the nation when they debuted since they came complete with a television, refrigerator, and washing machine! With a greatly reduced government subsidized rent these apartment complexes became very popular in the 1950s through 1970s. Even today many new Danchis are built across Japan's major cities.

However, the Danchi system also has an unfortunate dark side to it as demonstrated in-detail by this New York Times article. Since the 1990s Japan has been experiencing an economic decline which has in turn developed into a population decline with a disproportionately high percentage of elderly. Before this system was in place many Japanese people lived in multi-generational houses where they took care of their aging parents. After the Danchi system went into place, the shift to the nuclear family encouraged Japanese people to live apart from their parents. Living in separate places, many of these now elderly people are left isolated, alone in these Danchi apartments. Each summer and winter many die alone and are not discovered until much later making a lot of Danchis a potentially dreary place to live. On a more positive note in recent times many of the low-paid Japanese together with immigrant families have been moving into the Danchi system housing across Japan.

Why talk about the Danchi system? If you visit any major Japanese city you will immediately notice many Danchis in the horizon. They are truly a key component of the Japanese city. Since returning to Japan I have decided to focus on getting gospel literature into these Danchis for a few good reasons. First, they are large and easy to mass-distribute literature to without harassment. Second, they have many retired people who often have a lot of free time to consider things as opposed to the generally hyper-active time-strapped culture at large. Third, many of the poorest of Japanese people live in the Danchis, which means they are more likely to consider the gospel than others in a proud tier-based society. Please pray for salvation for the many different peoples living in Japan's Danchi System!

Evangelism after Abe's Assassination

 

Recently, many became aware of a tragic event that took place in Japan as former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, while performing a speech, was assassinated by a man with a home made gun. The event was akin to a “JFK” moment in traumatic scale for Japan as Abe was one of the longest serving as well as cherished (and hated) leaders in Japan's recent history. What was the motive behind the killing? The assassin's mother apparently was placed into dire economic straights after going into debt for being compelled to donate a vast some of money to the Korean Unification Church, known as 'Moonies'. How is Abe connected? He as well as his political party, the Liberal Democratic Party, have been on the receiving end of large donations from this famous Korean cult.

Japan, known as a homogeneous honor-shame culture, responded to this discovery by blaming Koreans, foreigners, and eventually any foreign church of any kind. In Japan rather than take individual responsibility, pressure from the group is often placed on those outside of Japan for ultimate responsibility. A similar transformation has become regular routine in the USA as well in that when a mass shooting occurs it is often blamed on whatever group the shooter was associated with rather than the shooter themselves. In a honor-shame based society sin is understood by the embarrassment that it causes to those in authority, as opposed to a law-type system in which guilt and innocence are determined by a justice system that is supposed to punish evil. In this case heavy shame was placed upon the Unification church as well as the LDP party members who received money from them. Eventually distrust and shame was transferred to foreigners as well as churches. Another example would be early on in the Covid outbreak; it was seen as a foreign caused issue which led to foreign blame as well as shutting down the country up until very recently. ( Even though massive Covid outbreaks have happened in the last year with almost no foreigner entry. )

How does this apply to evangelism? When the media frenzy is stirred in a group-oriented homogeneous culture like Japan there is little room for critical thinking. Most Japanese became highly cautious about foreigners. In my personal case two people that I was getting to know here suddenly started to become unfriendly and unresponsive immediately following the Abe assassination. (Although not all Japanese respond this way) An already cautious people became more cautious. In a nation with a history of opening and closing down over its long history this is nothing new for the character of Japan. Time is the factor that usually heals these issues. However, in modern times with rapid flows of information and travel it seems that this current cycle will move quicker as doors will soon re-open to foreign tourist travel akin to the other G7 nations. How else does this apply to evangelism? In the honor-shame culture Japanese have a hard time seeing themselves as individuals responsible for their sin but rather see themselves as part of a greater group that they cannot distance themselves from. Even if they see the truth of individual sin as well as the need for salvation they often do not have the courage to 'leave the group' physically, mentally, spiritually, or emotionally to risk offending others as well as their ancestors. At some point each person just like their ancestors in the past have to make a decision to accept or suppress the truth. As I work here longer I can clearly see that God truly does deal with nations and it would seem that in group cultures often times the individual has more often than not cast their lot in with the nation whatever the outcome may be. Please pray for unreached Japanese who suppress the truth and imagine vain things!

Buying and Driving a Car in Japan

 

After a month of paperwork, insurance registration, and various government clearances it was finally time to step into our first Japanese car in Japan. We purchased an eight year old mini-minivan with roughly 23,000 miles on it for 1,000,000 yen ($7500 USD at the time). It does not sound like much usage, however here people do not really drive too far in the city and are more interested in having a “new car” than wearing out their current one. Every two years a car has a required test to make sure that everything is in working order, which can cost $600-$900 or more (plus repairs to be deemed road ready). As a car gets older this test changes to yearly. Most Japanese people prefer having a new car than dealing with problems with a car test. Japanese people typically have overly high standards for their cars. Also each year an annual car tax must be paid, so expenses can really add up when owning a car. ( List of typicalexpenses. ) When buying a car a test drive is not allowed so it is of the utmost importance to rely upon the relationship built with the dealer as well as the very stringent standards for buying and selling of cars here. People often build trust with a certain dealer and only go to them whenever they need a car. This level of trust would be unheard of in America!

My family and I had lived in Japan for close to seven years now always using public transportation as well as bicycles to get around, so this was a very new experience. Our children are getting older now and it will be too expensive to pay for us all to use public transportation, so we decided that it was time to buy a car. Stepping into the car with the steering wheel on the right side of the car as well as driving on the “opposite” side of the road certainly takes some getting used to. The first few trips were quite anxious to say the least. Some lights here are Red with Green arrows at the same time directing traffic forward!

Japanese cars are typically very small with low ground level clearance as opposed to the average American vehicle. They are known for their economic advantages at the cost of safety. Most cars seen in Japan are not available in America due to certain size regulations, impact standards, and other complexities. In Japan roads are very narrow, speed limits are significantly slower, and people are very cautious as well as safe drivers in general. For these reason it would seem that Japanese cars can get away with having smaller sizes with less “armor” for accidents. Much of our time is spent waiting on traffic lights and driving very slowly. This road setup makes the country appear larger than it actually is! Some roads are very narrow, requiring great patience and good manners to navigate when encountering others. Japan has very few parking spots so it is not uncommon to have to pay to park. Free parking spots are certainly cherished and well guarded so as to be not taken advantage of! Gas is about $4.70 a gallon currently. With good gas mileage it is quite reasonable, especially with gas rates in the USA costing as much as $7.00 per gallon in some areas. 

Thus far it has been a good experience learning to drive here. Getting used to turning around in tight areas, narrow roads, parking fees, and tolls fees for highway use takes some time, but for the most part it is similar to driving in highly urbanized American settings in some ways. Having a car has allowed us greater access to get gospel tracts out to areas where we could not reach by train, bus, or bike including small towns. Please pray for us as we attempt to use our car wisely to share the gospel with Japanese people! 

Moving in Japan

Living on a densely populated island slightly smaller than the American state of Montana certainly has its challenges when it comes to living space. Fortunately Japanese society is diligently organized in such a way as to have a unique process when it comes to moving. As many Japanese people do not own a car, nor the time to move their possessions to a new location, a moving service is of the utmost importance.

For many working as salary-men the company will determine when it is time to move as well as where they must move if they want to keep their job. Japanese business culture is one of unquestioning dedication, so much like American military, they will move without question to their new location. Many companies will not give them much time to move, or require it to be on their own time, which leaves them in a hard place. The solution is hiring a moving service. Services such as Moving 123 will come to your house, label everything, pack everything, move everything, and unpack everything in your new location for a negotiable price. The service can cost anywhere from US $1500 to $5000+ depending on the terms of the contract. Generally, from my experience, Americans tend only to hire a moving service if they are going across country and even then will often pack and unpack everything themselves. However, in Japan it is almost expected that you hire a service to do everything for you. Services are preferred because Japanese housing is challenging to move objects in and out in a certain amount of time. With a specialized system in place it is seen as more efficient to hire a service.

What did we do? After living in Japan for a combined 12+ years we have accumulated a lot of stuff, even after living minimalistically by throwing things out constantly. We looked at a few different services and could not justify the high moving costs given that the end of March is the busiest time of the year for moving. We were able to find an independent contractor through a friend to do it for a fraction of the price with us doing most of the work. It took about a week to pack up 50 boxes, and two days of driving back and forth to unload everything. It then took another week to unpack and organize everything. Quite a project! I could only image what it would be like if we had to maintain salary-man hours, so I could understand why they would want to pay more to deal with the entire hassle of moving!

Safety Country

 

Known by many as an overly cautious country, Japan has a sizable bureaucratic culture ready to closely observe the every need of its readily compliant citizenry. For many foreigners this system may seem highly unusual. For example to receive a chart in the mail detailing the types of human excrement that exist, what each type means, and how one can have proper bowel movements may seem as an example of extreme government oversight, however for Japanese these seeming encroachments upon life are heartily welcomed. The Japanese as a people have no guiding objective morality system or much emphasis placed on critical thinking processes, but rather tend to rely upon an overly burdensome system of bureaucracy with many loop holes and subjective interpretations based upon local groups for guidance. These often confusing webs of bureaucracy interwoven into society seem to exist to help create a sense of peace and safety through human control.

For instance, recently when we arrived into the country via airplane (with only 27 other passengers) we were carefully guided on a long journey through the opposite ends of the airport to complete various tasks set in place by the Japanese government to ensure that the Covid-19 virus would be contained. Before arriving in country we were required to take official Covid tests within 72 hours. Through multiple check points over the course of four hours we completed paperwork, presented our passports, and presented our negative Covid tests over and over while being greeted with friendly Japanese faces. As we walked from station to station across various parts of the airport covering at least a mile on foot we eventually took new Covid tests, signed any remaining rights away, installed a phone-tracking app (as well as required to rent a phone if you didn't have a smart phone), and waited at the end to get our test results which turned out negative. Throughout this process we came in contact with at least twenty to thirty Japanese people as well as various other passengers who may or may not have been infected with Covid during this process. On the surface this type of bureaucracy seems illogical to outside observers as there were multiple points of exposure that would appear to be counter-productive in containing a virus, however in the Japanese mindset this type of setup was the best way to ensure safety of the population from potential contamination! The Japanese people have come to expect this as normal and willingly submit themselves to all kinds of bureaucracy as a normal part of life believing that it is for the greater good.

In a country with a vast majority of people (199/200) with no knowledge of God, government defacto becomes God to them – complete with all of its imperfections, inefficiencies, controls, and precautions. Still even in a country with all needs considered and lives planned there is a great emptiness. Mankind cannot find peace apart from God.

COVID Abroad in Japan

 

It has become quite clear in the last year that our world is ever-changing due to the COVID virus issue as well as the government responses to how best to deal with the issue. Sometime in March 2019 in Japan we started to experience signs of COVID as toilet paper lines and mask shortages became a reality. A few months later this reality started to hit home in the United States. What was that experience like in Japan? This is one of the most common questions that we get.

Japan prides itself on being a homogeneous society, so the response to COVID appeared to be immediate and uniform. Japanese typically wear masks anyway given their close proximity in daily life, desire to prevent spreading of sickness to others, and general cleanliness. When COVID came on the scene society quickly wore masks everywhere believing that it would prevent viral spread. Even to this day they continue to wear masks everywhere. Almost immediately every area open to the public had hand wash sprays out with requirements for use upon entry. Some of the larger stores also had head thermometers to determine if the body temperature was at fever levels. Eventually the nightlife areas were shut down as they were determined to be a major spreading areas. The Japanese solution was to close down known drinking areas as well as limit restaurants to a 7 P.M. curfew. Japanese people were hesitant to get the vaccine, however when the government began to issue them by age category almost every elderly person immediately got one. However, there is still a portion of society that refuses the vaccine. As of the writing of this article about 60% of Japanese have received a vaccine.

In general, currently in Japan the infection as well as death numbers are very low compared to most countries. I believe this has to do with the Japanese culture itself in that Japanese tend to keep their distance, don't touch, and have excellent hygiene practices in general. Almost immediately Japan also closed its borders to international travel to most people unless they had special permission which was difficult to get. Even now it is very difficult to gain access into the country unless you were a prior resident. For this reason many in ministry have not been able to gain access into Japan. Also, many in ministry have come off the field as well. We plan to re-enter Japan in the winter time. Please pray for Japan that they would re-open their borders so that families can see each other, business can occur, and ministry can be done.

Japan Culture Series 13: Hedataru to Najimu

To a degree whether we realize it or not our personal space plays a key role in our daily relationships with one another. For instance, in the United States we recognize that it is wise to set boundaries in our relationships with co-workers. Most people would probably not share a lot of personal details of their lives with a co-worker as opposed to a spouse. We tend to setup boundaries within our social interactions to govern our daily lives. To move from a casual acquaintance to a close friendship requires that we go through certain invisible social steps all the while paying close attention to social cues of each party involved so as to see whether it be possible to gain a closer relationship or to maintain the present casual acquaintance.

In Japan this process can be described with two terms, Hedataru and Najimu. Hedataru means to separate or set apart while Nijimu means to become attached to or familiar with. Relationships in Japan begin with a distance known as Hedatari, then move through Hedatari, and move into the closeness of Najimu. Moving through these stages requires much time, restraint, and patience. Unlike the United States or Latin cultures where relationships can be developed rather quickly, in Japan it seems to take a lot of time. Japanese people tend to keep at a distance as many of their social interactions tend to be far more formal. From the student to the teacher, the customer to the dealer, or the child to the parent much distance as well as formality is observed by default. With a more formal society it not only takes more time to develop close relationships, but it is also more rare of an occurrence. To be invited to someone's house for instance is not only rare, but also indicates that a major change in relationship has occurred. Once Najimu has been established trust will increase. Interestingly enough, since Japan is a highly formal society there are outlets seen as necessary for shedding Hedataru with strangers such as drinking together as well as attending the Onsen together without clothing!

As missionaries it takes considerable time for us to establish relationships not only as foreigners, but also in respect to Japanese societal norms. If we fail to observe these customs we will be seen as barbarians, much akin to something like walking into a five star hotel without shoes or a shirt on! Imagine the embarrassment! However, once relationships are established Japanese tend to be far more open to the gospel. It appears that they tend to get truth from relationships rather than objective sources much like the post-modernist person does in the western world. This could be one of the reasons why it takes more time for Japanese people to become Christians. We must remember to remain firm in keeping our testimonies which includes avoiding drinking, Onsens, and local pagan-rooted festivities. Unfortunately to Non-Christian Japanese these choices can all be seen as blocks to establishing a friendship. However, we will continue to trust God. Please pray for us as we continue to build relationships with Japanese people.