letter from Japan
Recent survey results from the Japanese Government, combined with an estimate of the Japanese population who are Bible believing Christians suggests that the number has fallen from around 500,000 in 2019 to less than 350,000 in 2024 or from 0.4% to 0.28% of the population. Amongst university students, just 0.01% (one in 10,000) are thought to be Christians.
What does this mean for the future of the gospel in Japan? Research predicts that if present trends continue, half of Japan’s Protestant churches will close by 2030. Some of these are churches which have drifted from the Bible, others have not been evangelising; still others have been damaged by splits. But many of them are faithful, prayerful, gospel-preaching churches, who are simply not seeing people converted. Though numbers of missionaries coming to Japan are going up, there is a dire shortage of Japanese full-time gospel workers. Pastors are retiring or dying with no-one coming to replace them. Some Bible Colleges have closed recently due to a shortage of students.
Our church here is perhaps typical in that of our 15 members, only two are under 60. We are, however, peculiarly blessed in attracting relatively large numbers of people, including young families, to our evangelistic events. But, oh Lord, why do we not see them come to faith? Oh, Lord, in your wrath remember mercy.
