Japanese In North America   I. Historical Perspective A. Country of origin – Japanese immigrants have a long history more than 100 years. They first came to Hawaii and moved to the mainland later. They have now up to 5 generations. B. Language(s) – Japanese & English

C. Religious background – Shintoism & Buddhism are the mainstream of the religions in Japan more than 1,000 years until the end of Shogun era. Since the Black Ship from the USA came to Japan to force to open the door of the trading in 1853, Japan started to receive many cultural and religious interests. However, the military government received the power to control the nation, the Emperor became an ultimate authority over the nation until the end of the WWII. After the corruption of the Emperor’s era, many new religions came out of the hopeless country including Christianity, which used to be prohibited and persecuted as the religion of the enemy. Those new religions were mostly the stream of Buddhism and Shintoism. The Christian population in Japan is still less than 0.7% with about 7,000 churches across the nation. Southern Baptist churches are about 300 in Japan.

D. Southern Baptist Work – There was not a Southern Baptist church in the United States until after World War II, when the first Southern Baptist congregation was born in Gardena (LA), California in 1968. This church has two separate congregations: one English-speaking and the other Japanese-speaking. The second Southern Baptist congregation was born in San Francisco in 1974, currently known as the Nineteenth Avenue Japanese Baptist Church. Both of these churches were born out of the need for Japanese-speaking worship services and Bible studies. According to Pastor Mike Yokoy from Portland Oregon currently, there are about 15 Japanese-speaking pastors and three Japanese-speaking Korean pastors in the US for all the Japanese churches. There are also a number of Japanese Bible Study Ministries that minister to the Japanese communities throughout North America in twenty five states . The most urgent task for Japanese church planting may be to find and equip ministers and train them through Basic Church Planting Conference designed by NAMB. We also have already had several young dedicated ministers who graduated evangelical seminaries and Bible colleges in the United States. One of the great potentials of raising new ministers is the new Christians who were born again here as they were studying in colleges and universities. Some of those who were saved through our local churches will come back to the United States for further education of the ministry before entering into the ministry. They are the future ministers and leaders of Japanese churches in the US.

E. Sub-cultures – The Japanese people who came after WWII are now called "first generation" people, as the immigrants who came before the WWII are called Japanese-Americans. There are few fellowships and relationships between the two parties. There is also a big margin of cultural and sociological differences between Japanese nationals.  These differences include students and business people visiting from Japan and the American-born, English-speaking Japanese. The new trend is the families of inter-cultural marriages. The increase in numbers is difficult to calculate from census reports since they have American family names.

F. Past challenges – The second generation has found it difficult to open their hearts to Christianity because of the segregation they experienced in interment camps during World War II.

G. Past Immigration Patterns – The history of the Japanese in the United States dates back more than 100 years. The immigrants first identified as Japanese were found in Hawaii, where they worked on sugar plantations. Some of those immigrants later moved from Hawaii to the mainland to find new work. They moved especially to California, Washington and Oregon.

II. Current/Future Challenges


A. Population – Japanese Americans are about 800,000. However, more than 300,000 Japanese nationals are always coming and going back home. Those are mostly business people and students. They do not stay in the US after their purpose is fulfilled.

B. Present Immigration Patterns – The most Japanese populated area is Hawaii.  The second is California.  The third is New York state. Hawaiian-Japanese, Southern Baptist churches have the longest ministry history in the USA, which began before WWII. They also hold the largest number of Japanese churches.  New immigrants are scattered across the nation, but especially west of the Rocky Mountains.

C. Evangelism – The most effective method of evangelism is to witness to Japanese immigrants in the context of their culture and language. As Japanese students come to the United States, they are being reached by Christians and are being saved. The number of students being saved in the United States is larger than those who are being saved in Japan. That is why we must train the young people while they are here. Collegiate mMinistries directed toward Japanese students is an effective evangelism strategy.
        1. The Japanese population in US is dropping, while others are growing. From 1999 to 2000, there was 6% decrease among the Japanese population. 
        2. Focusing on campus to find and minister to Japanese is very effective. Invite them to your home.  Offer your hospitality to build friendships and trust in order to share the gospel. 
        3. Offer conversational English classes for newcomers. This is an excellent ministry that churches can use as an evangelistic opportunity.

D. Church Planting – Currently, there are about 15 Japanese-speaking pastors in the United States for all the Japanese churches. The most urgent task for Japanese church planting may be to find and equip ministers, training them through Southern Baptist seminaries. Japanese Southern Baptists continue to plant more churches in the Japanese-populated cities, including those in Canada.  They are working with existing church leaders to stress the importance of cell groups, which one day may become self-supporting congregations.  

E. Family Life
     
1. Education – Japanese churches have difficulty in finding future ministers and church planters.  Local churches are encouraged to raise young ministers-to-be within their own churches. This is because most Japanese graduate students studying in seminary are linked to a local church in Japan.  These churches sponsor the education of these students.  

2. Occupation – New immigrants and families don’t establish Japanese towns and communities like immigrants before WWII. They are mostly scattered among Anglo neighborhoods.  They need to be reached through different avenues.