1. JapanJapan OMF International (UK)

2. JA 2 GeographyGeography n 233,600 sq. km

3. OMF International (UK) JA 3 n Population: 126,549,976 –(UK: 59,511,464) n Density: 340/sq. km –(UK: 243/sq. km) PopulationPopulation Japan UK Japan UK

4. OMF International (UK) JA 4 ReligionReligion n Buddhist & Shinto 84% n New religions/other 13% n Christian 1% Evangelical 0.32% n Most follow mixture of Shinto and Buddhist customs Buddhist & Shinto New religions/ Other - - Christian - Evangelical Christian

5. OMF International (UK) JA 5 HistoryHistory n Ancient civilisation n Closed to outsiders n Late-1800s: Expansion n Defeated at end of World War II n Occupied by UN/US n Post-war economic growth n 1990s: Economic slow-down

6. OMF International (UK) JA 6 History of Christianity n 1549: Francis Xavier n 1612: Persecution; country closed n Late-1800s: Doors re-opened n Pre-war: Little growth n Post-war: US/Korean activity n 1990s: Some larger churches n 100 sects/new religions per year

7. OMF International (UK) JA 7 What is OMF doing? n Church planting and evangelism n Unreached: rural and urban n Student work n Japanese missions and missionaries: –Training, developing and equipping n OMF 120 adults, 90 children

8. OMF International (UK) JA 8 OMF Opportunities n Church planters and evangelists n Student evangelists n Teaching English n Teaching missionaries’ children Short-term [4 weeks-3 years] n Support ministries

9. OMF International (UK) JA 9 Pray: Country n People are too busy n Little concept of personal sin n Corruption/scandals in business and government n Cultural pressures to conform n Shinto resurgence n New religions sprouting

10. OMF International (UK) JA 10 Pray: Church n Tiny minority –Society values consensus –Too few families –Lack of men in the church –70% churches with fewer than 30 people n Young people leaving for cities n Training of leaders n Many cities/towns with no church

11. OMF International (UK) JA 11 Pray: Evangelism n Pray for breakthrough n Japanese unresponsive n Recession gives opportunities n Student witness strategic n Media evangelism effective –Literature –Radio/TV

12. OMF International (UK) JA 12 The Thomases n Church Planting –Pastor of Sendai Evangelical Church 30 adults, 10 children growth of church n Came to Japan in 1987 n Church work in Hachinohe, Izumi and Tokyo

13. OMF International (UK) JA 13 Thomases - Future n Return to Japan 12 Aug n Esther and Christine go to Hebron n Support –Prayer –Finance, about £50K (last year 53%)