at-a-glance

::: japan is an island country situated off the east coast of asia in the NW part of the pacific ocean...

...a basic orientation:

• 4 main islands (in order of size)...honshu, hokkaido, kyushu, & shikoku
• 47 prefectures (see above), which are like the 50 states in the USA
• population is 126.8 million
• captial is tokyo (12 million)
• other major cities include osaka, kyoto, sapporo, fukuoka, nagoya and kobe

[source: operation japan third edition 2005 (d. wright, ed.)]

...though the gospel entered and spread initially in japan through early jesuit missionaries in the 1500s, it has not taken root in the centuries since...

...the current religious makeup of japan:

• Shintoism - 109 million
• Buddhism - 99 million
• Christianity - 1.5 million
• Other - 10.5 million

[source: operation japan third edition 2005 (d. wright, ed.)]

...but there's more than mere numbers above...there is the mixture that is part of the typical japanese life style...the following is a recognized pattern:

• a baby's birth is typically celebrated in a shinto shrine
• a wedding is routinely conducted in a christian or shinto ceremony
• a funeral is most likely charged to buddhist priests

...blanketing this mixture is the prevailing mindset of ancestor worship...

::: there is much more that we can think about, but, for now, let's ask: what does this mean for you and me?

...as christians, whatever degree of interest or investment you and i each have for this unreached nation, at the very least, we can pray together...therefore, using material from operation japan 3rd edition [2005], on a weekly basis we will post topics to help you pray for japan...

::: PRAYER TOPIC :::

the revival of and unity in the church...

"The church is divided into over 160 denominations. There are major divisions among charismatic, evangelical and mainline churches with little communication or cooperation between them. Pray that these barriers will be broken down, and the spirit of John 17:21 be lived out. Pray for revival throughout Japan -- that each church will have an effective gospel witness and renewed power in the Holy Spirit."

[source: operation japan third edition 2005 (d. wright, ed.), page 7]

::: please join us in praying for the revival and unity of the church in japan...