Japan is the second largest unreached people group in the world. It has a population of almost 130 million people, that is about 1/3 that of the population of the USA, but crammed into an area about the size of California. Currently, Japan is only less than half of a percent Christian. To put that into perspective, Japan has about as many Christians as the Phoenix area, and that number is declining every year. Essentially, this means that there are almost 130 million people who have never heard the Gospel in Japan. The shocking truth is that North Korea has more Christians per-capita than Japan, despite the fact that Japan is an open country and missionaries can go to Japan on religious visas with no threat of persecution.
Most of Japan’s churches and missionaries are centered in the major cities, like Tokyo and Osaka, as well as islands of Okinawa where the American military bases are concentrated, leaving the majority of Japan mostly unchurched. That means the majority of people in Japan do not even have access to a local church–they have no way of hearing the Gospel in their own language. This is a big reason we want to continue to serve in Hiroshima, Japan as it is a mostly unchurched city surrounded by many regions that are entirely unchurched. We want to bring the gospel to the unreached.
A huge part of our ministry focus is student ministry as university is one of the few times in the life of a Japanese where they are looking to discover who they are before committing themselves to their career that will entirely consume their lives based on the strict work culture of Japan. Despite the fact that missionaries are banned on college campuses in Japan, we have the rare privilege of being able to volunteer at a university in Hiroshima, where we are able to participate in clubs, language tutoring, and hang out with students. Through this, we are able to do “life on life” with students, build trust, and lifelong friendships with the ultimate goal to share the gospel with them and invite them to church. We also partner with local churches in the region to plant more churches throughout Hiroshima and the surrounding rural areas, because it is important that the church in Japan be Japanese, and not just run by foreigners.
Please keep us and especially keep the people of Japan in prayer. Despite being such a beautiful country filled with humble and kind people, Japan is truly gripped by darkness and idolatry. Japan has historically been referred to by the Japanese as the “graveyard of missionaries” and “where the gospel goes to die, and its servants with it.” Where as this was originally in regard to harsh persecution during the days of old when Japan was closed off to the world and Christianity, it still applies today spiritually because of how the Gospel has failed to take hold in Japan, and missionaries quickly burn out and return home never to go back to Japan again because of lack of support. Please, support us with prayer as we seek to change Japan from being a graveyard into a place of life that can only come from knowing Jesus Christ.
We welcome you to reach out to us if you have any questions about Japan missions, or if you want to pray for us, encourage us, or support us in any way. Thank you so much for your prayers! God Bless!