The two mainstreams of religion in
Japan are Buddhism, which was introduced to Japan in the sixth
century, and Shinto, which developed as the nation's folk religion.
As of the end of 2001 there were 225,885 religious institutions.
There are significant numbers of Shinto, Buddhist, and Christian
religious facilities. In addition, although in small numbers,
one can find places of worship for those of the Islam, Jewish,
and Hindu faiths as well. The great majority of people are affiliated
with either Buddhism or Shinto (often both), their numbers exceeding
90% of the entire population.(*1) Article 20 of Japanese Constitution
guarantees religious freedom as follows: "Freedom of religion
is guaranteed to all. No religious organization shall receive
any privileges from the State, nor exercise any political authority."
"No person shall be compelled to take part in any religious
act, celebration, rite or practice." "The State and
its organs shall refrain from religious education or any other
religious activity."
Buddhism and Shinto
Buddhism has had a great influence on the Japanese mentality
as well as its culture and even politics. Buddhism is divided
into a number of sects. Major sects, such as Jodo Shinshu (True
Pure Land), Nichiren and Zen, were established in the Kamakura
era (1192-1333). As of the end of 2001 there were 77,160 Buddhist
temples in Japan. Shinto has survived in the form of traditional
beliefs and customs and in such practices as individual prayers
and a variety of rites and festivities. Unlike such imported
systems as Buddhism and Confucianism, Shinto embodies an indigenous
religion and philosophy.
From the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the end of Second World
War Shinto functioned as a state religion. Under a present Constitution,
however, Shinto has no official status of any kind. At the end
of 2001 there were 81,312 Shinto shrines in Japan, the majority
of which are organized under the Jinja Honcho (Association of
Shinto Shrines), with the Grand Shrine of Ise at the top of
the hierarchy. Statistics show that there are 107 million followers
of Shinto and 95 million adherents of Buddhism in Japan. The
fact that the total of these figures far exceeds the population
demonstrates the Japanese people's readiness to accept the teaching
of more than one religions faith. In customary practice, Shinto
rites are observed to celebrate such occasions as birth and
marriage, while Buddhist ceremonies are used for funerals and
memorial services.
Christianity
Christianity was first introduced to Japan in 1549 by Portuguese
Jesuits and promulgated until it was officially banned in1612.
The ban was lifted in 1873, as part of the Meiji Restoration.
In 2001 there were 6,886 churches in Japan, divided about evenly
between Catholic and Protestant. The number of Japanese Christians
totaled 1.82 million, or about 1.5% of total population.
Other Religious Group
Alongside these main faiths, many other religious groups have
come into being or reached Japanese shores since the Meiji Era
(1868-1912). They include Buddhist-influenced faiths, Shinto-type
faiths, hybrid faiths combining Buddhist, Shinto, or Christian
elements, and other original faiths not influenced by any particular
religion. As of the end of 2001 these religious groups had about
40,826 missions nationwide and 10.65 millions followers.
The leaders of one of these new religious groups, Aum
Shinrikyo, were arrested in 1995 on suspicion of being involved
in various crimes, including the sarin nerve gas attack on the
Tokyo subway in March 1995, which killed 11 people and injured
about 3,800. Outraged by Aum Shinrikyo's alleged crimes, public
opinion began to urge some kind of regulations on the activities
of religious groups. Consequently, the government revised the
Religious Corporation Law in December 1995 to tighten control
over activities of the religious groups. In addition, an organization
control law was enacted in November 1999 that empowers the government
to place certain regulations on organizations that are deemed
to be dangerous because, for example, "they have committed
an act of indiscriminate mass murder in the last 10 years and
are still under the influence of a leader (in effect meaning
Aum Shinrikyo)."
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