Japan has traditionally practiced the Shinto religion: unique to Japan it is a collection of cultural traditions, animism, and ancestor veneration. Most Japanese identify as Buddhist, while still practicing Shinto traditions. However, today, many Japanese identify as non-religious or atheist and only around 1% are Christian.
Japan once had a fairly thriving Christian church, about 500 years ago, before Christianity was outlawed and punishable by death. Today Japan has total freedom of religion, aside from a few laws against cults, yet the church in Japan has refused to grow. There is an ingrained view that Christianity is an outsiders’ religion and becoming a Christian makes one no longer Japanese.
The percentage of Christians in Japan has been shrinking over the past decade or so, and they were already the second largest unreached people group in the universe (pray for Bangladesh!) source There are about 8000 churches in Japan, but that number is expected to be cut in half by 2030 if trends continue.
In this climate it is estimated that 80% of Japanese who accept Christ stop going to church within 18 months of being baptized. There is a lack of discipleship occurring and staying strong in the faith is very difficult among the many pressures of Japanese daily life.