Japan
While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After its devastating defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become the second most powerful economy in the world and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented growth.
Geography
145,920 sq miles (377,835 sq km) in Eastern Asia, Japan is an island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula.
Population
126,974,628 (July 2002 est.)
Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 51,126, Chinese 24,424, Brazilian 18,223, Filipino 8,995, other 23,792) (2000)
Languages
Japanese
Capital
Tokyo
Political Status
Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
Religion
Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Several small denominational churches (including the Anglican Church).
Ministry History
Global Teams is recruiting missionaries from both the USA and Korea to work as a team in Japan
Field Goals
- Develop a solid prayer network for the future ministry.
- Recruit and place 4-6 missionaries as a team.
- Help to seed a movement to Jesus among Japanese peoples that reflects His character within Japanese culture.
