«Desert Religion». Islam in Japan From the 19th Century to the Present Day

Abstract

Abrahamic religions have long been the mainstay of many countries around the world. These religions have also reached Japan, and while the situation with Christianity is very positive, Islam still faces difficulties. This “desert religion” came to the Land of the Rising Sun much later than its “sister,” and, despite its rich history, it is in a state of constant turbulence in modern Japan. However, representatives of the religion, both Japanese, such as Noda Shtar, Torajir Yamada, Bumpachirō Ariga, Tanaka Ippei, Umar Mita, and foreigners, such as Abbas Mahmoud Al-Akkad, Qari Sarfaraz Hussein, and Abdurashid Ibrahim, are promoting it in a country to which Islam seems totally unsuited. In modern world, large numbers of Muslims live and work in Japan, among them both Japanese Muslims and immigrants from Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Russia.
Mosques, as the largest Muslim religious centers, engage in educational and social activities, as well as building ties with the locals. Finally, there are Islamic NGOs operating in Japan: Japan Islamic Trust (JIT), Japan Muslim Education Trust (JMET), Japan Muslim Association (AJMA), Japan Halal Association (JHA), and other organizations the main task of which is to facilitate and improve the lives of Muslims.
The objectives of this article are to study the stages of the process of Islam’s penetration into Japan and to highlight the contribution of prominent Muslims, both Japanese and foreigners, to the promotion of this religion; to find out what the situation with the contemporary life of Muslims in Japan is, what are the positive and negative aspects, and how Muslim organizations and community participate in the life of Japanese society.