1. Mahayaha Buddhism #2 Introduction of Contemporary Religious Situation in Japan Masayo Urasaki 21 June 2012

2. 2 Today ’ s Class Goal 1) To understand the overview of Religious Situation in Japan 2)To open the interest of Japanese Society and Religion through movie

3. 3 Religion ： 宗 教（ syuu-kyou) 宗 (shuu) 1) Center (Core) of the same family 2) Place where worship Ancestors and their spirits 教 (kyou) Teaching

4. 4 Religion ＝ 宗教（ Shuu-Kyou ） ? ☆ Religion religio Re ( again ) ligio ( connect ) ex. relation/ relatives Re- connect between God and Human Being

5. Traditional Religion 1)Shinto ( 神道） Not founder, scriptures, system of doctrines. 2)Buddhism （仏教） Since 538 from Korea (official transmission) 3)Christ ( キリスト教） Since 1549 From Francis Xavier(1506-52) 4)Folk Beliefs （民間信仰） / Nature Worship( 自然崇拝） Animism

6. 6 New Religion  Groups which have established based on faith/ religions in Modern Era  Groups that can not include the previous established religious organization (Christ, Buddhism, Islam, Hindu, etc., )  They have own 1)principles, 2)rituals, 3)believers and 4) their praying space for gathering.

7. 7 Statistics of Religion in Japan Religious Organization (registered) Members Shinto 85,313105,824,798 Buddhism 77,544 89,540,834 Christ 4,347 2,143,710 Others 15,106 9,086,268 Total182,310206,595,610 2007/12/31 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology -Japan

8. 8 WHY?  Japanese population 127,767,994  Total of Religious members 206,595,610

9. 9 Why so many Religious Groups in Japan?

10. 10 Everybody can become “The Religious Founder”  Freedom of the Faith (Perfectly Just after World War II)  Not Registered Groups are more 40,000 groups  Registered Religious Groups are good treatment about the TAX.

11. 3 June 201011 Do you have the faith? 19461964198019972004 76.3%56.0%33.6%20.5%22.9% Reference: Yomiuri Newspaper ’ s research The rate of answer “ YES ”