Japan: A Case Study

[Everybody Wang Chung]

"Two Mormon missionaries knock on a door in Japan. A kind old man opens the door and smiles at them. The Elders say "Hello, we belong to the LDS church and would like to share a message with you." The old man smiles, "Of course, that sounds great! Please, take a seat." The old man quickly goes into the kitchen and comes back with an assortment of fresh fruit and ice-cold drinks, which he gives to the Elders. He then sits down and says, "I love learning about different religions. Let's hear what you wanted to share." The Elders appear very uncomfortable, sweating and exchange nervous glances. Finally, the senior companion looks at the old man and says, "We don't have a fetching clue, we've never gotten this far before!" -- Ancient Japanese/Mormon Proverb


- There are currently 6 missions in Japan totaling almost 1,000 missionaries. There are also 4 temples in Japan.

- Despite having approximately 1,000 LDS missionaries in Japan, membership is shrinking.

- In 2000, there were 31 Stakes, 175 Wards and 142 Branches. In 2022, there are 22 Stakes, 152 Wards and 99 Branches.

- Just since 2021, Japan has closed 6 Stakes (Asahikawa Japan, Osaka Japan, North Osaka Japan, Musashino Japan, Saitama Japan and Fujisawa Japan)

My Nephew recently returned from a mission in the Kobe, Japan mission. He didn't have a single baptism but taught a lot of people English. He said that the activity rate in Japan is about 10%. He said that the most well-established Wards commonly bring in 30-40 members on a good Sunday.

Prospects for the church in Japan look bleak. It's good the church is now in Africa.

[Informant]

My Nephew recently returned from a mission in the Kobe, Japan mission.

I’m sure this is true.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

My Nephew recently returned from a mission in the Kobe, Japan mission.

I’m sure this is true.

[Informant]

Edit: decided not to be an ass.

[Dr. Shades]

consiglieri and I both served missions in Japan, although at different times. I was there from 1990 to 1992, and soon after I arrived we were regaled with prophecies of how a new day is dawning for missionary work in Japan. I never noticed any such thing, that's for sure, and it looks like history has borne that out. (If you want to read my missionary journal from my time there, click here.)

Two Mormon missionaries knock on a door in Japan. A kind old man opens the door and smiles at them. The Elders say "Hello, we belong to the LDS church and would like to share a message with you." The old man smiles, "Of course, that sounds great! Please, take a seat." The old man quickly goes into the kitchen and comes back with an assortment of fresh fruit and ice-cold drinks, which he gives to the Elders. He then sits down and says, "I love learning about different religions. Let's hear what you wanted to share." The Elders appear very uncomfortable, sweating and exchange nervous glances. Finally, the senior companion looks at the old man and says, "We don't have a fetching clue, we've never gotten this far before! -- Ancient Japanese/Mormon Proverb

Ha ha, there's a lot of truth to that. I could probably count the number of times I was invited in on the fingers of one hand.

- There are currently 6 missions in Japan totaling almost 1,000 missionaries. There are also 4 temples in Japan.

When I was there there were 10 missions but only one temple. I don't know how many missionaries there were.

My [n]ephew . . . said that the activity rate in Japan is about 10%. He said that the most well-established Wards commonly bring in 30-40 members on a good Sunday.

That was my experience, too.

[malkie]

Four temples perhaps because veneration of ancestors is important in Japanese culture?

[Everybody Wang Chung]

consiglieri and I both served missions in Japan, although at different times. I was there from 1990 to 1992, and soon after I arrived we were regaled with prophecies of how a new day is dawning for missionary work in Japan. I never noticed any such thing, that's for sure, and it looks like history has borne that out. (If you want to read my missionary journal from my time there, click here.)

Dr. Shades, that was an excellent read. Thanks!

[Dr. Shades]

Four temples perhaps because veneration of ancestors is important in Japanese culture?

No. The suits in Salt Lake City decide when and where temples will be built, not the locals.

consiglieri and I both served missions in Japan, although at different times. I was there from 1990 to 1992, and soon after I arrived we were regaled with prophecies of how a new day is dawning for missionary work in Japan. I never noticed any such thing, that's for sure, and it looks like history has borne that out. (If you want to read my missionary journal from my time there, click here.)

Dr. Shades, that was an excellent read. Thanks!

Are you referring to the entry I just made, above? 'Cause you can't possibly have read the entire 586 and 1/2 pages of my missionary journal in the less than five hours since I posted a link to it, . . . can you?

[Moksha]

consiglieri and I both served missions in Japan, although at different times.

I assume Consiglieri served somewhere pre-internet, but post-transistor radio.

[Wonhyo]

I was lucky enough to visit Japan once, in 2016. (The mountains are spectacular, at least the parts that I saw. The native Shinto religion is visible almost everywhere, and so is Buddhism in many places. A peaceful and fulfilling feature of the countryside that I saw.)

While visiting, I attended the Mormon group (not a branch, but a group) in a city in Niigata Prefecture one Sunday. The congregation consisted of no more than 10 people, most of which were missionaries or ex-pats teaching English. It didn't look like the church was doing well at all, at least in that part of the country.