History of Christianity in Japan
A form of Christianity first appeared in the 16th century when Spanish and Portuguese traders came to Japan. Francis Xavier was the first of many Roman Catholic missionaries. Great numbers embraced Catholicism and over 300,000 of the then 20 million Japanese became Catholic. Then in 1587, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a suspicious shogun, decreed Christianity to be illegal. When Japan closed its doors to all outsiders in 1639, organized Christianity was persecuted with believers hunted, exiled, martyred or forced to go underground. After the reopening of Japan in the 1850s, biblical Christianity was introduced for the first time. In 1880 the Japanese New Testament was published, followed by the Old Testament in 1887. However, the missionary effort remained somewhat insignificant until the end of World War II.
It was in the early 1900s that Protestantism saw its greatest growth. In fact, in 1909 the number of Protestants surpassed the number of Catholics for the first time. Sadly however, this also was the period when liberalism started to invade Protestantism, which adopted a higher critical view of the Bible and denied the deity of Christ and the infallibility of the Scriptures.
In 1939, the infamous Religious Organizations Law was enacted in order to place all aspects of religion under strict government control. In 1940, 34 Protestant churches were compelled to form one 'Church of Christ in Japan'. Members of the churches which opposed this merger were persecuted and arrested. After the war, General MacArthur immediately abolished the Religious Organizations Law. Along with this, he disestablished State Shinto as the national religion. On January 1, 1946, Emperor Hirohito himself denied his right to be worshipped as a deity. In order to fill this resultant religious vacuum in the lives of the Japanese people, MacArthur appealed to America for 1,000 missionaries. Of this amount, less than half came, and many of those were Catholic.
The four years from 1946-1950 were the golden window of opportunity for missionary work, but few evangelical groups took advantage of the opportunity at that time. However, during the early 1950s, many denominations and mission boards sent missionaries to Japan. On of these was the Oriental Boat Mission, which later became part of Christar. At the present time, opportunities for evangelism are endless in Japan. Again, as shortly after the war, many missionaries are needed, but only a handful are coming. Is the Lord possibly calling you to bring the hope of the Gospel to the Japanese?
It was in the early 1900s that Protestantism saw its greatest growth. In fact, in 1909 the number of Protestants surpassed the number of Catholics for the first time. Sadly however, this also was the period when liberalism started to invade Protestantism, which adopted a higher critical view of the Bible and denied the deity of Christ and the infallibility of the Scriptures.
In 1939, the infamous Religious Organizations Law was enacted in order to place all aspects of religion under strict government control. In 1940, 34 Protestant churches were compelled to form one 'Church of Christ in Japan'. Members of the churches which opposed this merger were persecuted and arrested. After the war, General MacArthur immediately abolished the Religious Organizations Law. Along with this, he disestablished State Shinto as the national religion. On January 1, 1946, Emperor Hirohito himself denied his right to be worshipped as a deity. In order to fill this resultant religious vacuum in the lives of the Japanese people, MacArthur appealed to America for 1,000 missionaries. Of this amount, less than half came, and many of those were Catholic.
The four years from 1946-1950 were the golden window of opportunity for missionary work, but few evangelical groups took advantage of the opportunity at that time. However, during the early 1950s, many denominations and mission boards sent missionaries to Japan. On of these was the Oriental Boat Mission, which later became part of Christar. At the present time, opportunities for evangelism are endless in Japan. Again, as shortly after the war, many missionaries are needed, but only a handful are coming. Is the Lord possibly calling you to bring the hope of the Gospel to the Japanese?
History of Christar in Japan
Christar's work in Japan began in 1949 when the work of the Oriental Boat Mission (formerly the South China Boat Mission) along the coast of southern China spread to fishermen and coastal inhabitants of southern Japan. Bertha Kolbenson and Mary Dillard were the first to arrive and began language study and ministry in Kobe. The work spread, more missionaries came, and the ministry moved as far south as Kagoshima prefecture in Kyushu.
The work eventually settled in Yamaguchi prefecture at the southern tip of Honshu. There were fellowships started not only among the Japanese but also with Americans away from home at the Iwakuni Marine Base.
In 1966, the Oriental Boat Mission merged with International Missions (now Christar), and the ministry in Japan has continued up to the present.
Many Japanese have heard the Gospel for the first time by God's grace through the ministry of Christar. Churches have been established among the Japanese, and there is even ongoing work among internationals living in Japan. Several of these churches are now indigenous. There are currently 15 missionaries in Japan planting churches with Christar, but over the years more than 40 individuals have dedicated themselves to furthering the Lord's work in Japan as Christar missionaries. The need for more workers continues; there are still many towns in Yamaguchi prefecture that do not have a church where the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be heard.
The work eventually settled in Yamaguchi prefecture at the southern tip of Honshu. There were fellowships started not only among the Japanese but also with Americans away from home at the Iwakuni Marine Base.
In 1966, the Oriental Boat Mission merged with International Missions (now Christar), and the ministry in Japan has continued up to the present.
Many Japanese have heard the Gospel for the first time by God's grace through the ministry of Christar. Churches have been established among the Japanese, and there is even ongoing work among internationals living in Japan. Several of these churches are now indigenous. There are currently 15 missionaries in Japan planting churches with Christar, but over the years more than 40 individuals have dedicated themselves to furthering the Lord's work in Japan as Christar missionaries. The need for more workers continues; there are still many towns in Yamaguchi prefecture that do not have a church where the Gospel of Jesus Christ can be heard.
