Information

Disclaimer: Please note that the following links to resources in English are provided for your convenience. Be advised that some information within a given article may change over time. However, please understand that searching for information in English (instead of in Japanese) on social issues within Japan, results in a more limited number of resources available. Periodic efforts will be made to check the following resources for “dead” links. (The date of the last revision is posted at the bottom of the page.)

Opportunities for Evangelism: Did you know that Japan has the most unreached people group of any developed nation in the world? The Christian population in Japan is usually cited as approximately 1% (or 1-2 million persons). Then in 2001, a Gallup Poll found approximately 6% of the population claimed Christian faith, a significantly higher percentage than earlier estimates. (Source: http://www.christianexaminer.com/Articles/Articles%20Jun06/Art_Jun06_08.html) Of course, the vast majority (94%) are still non-Christian. Please pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out more workers into his harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38).

Persecuted Church in Japan: Japan has a reputation as a place resistant to evangelism. Yet, Japan has one of the longest histories of the persecuted church in the world. In November 2008 at a special ceremony in Nagasaki, 188 Japanese Christian martyrs were officially recognized (beatified) by the Vatican. (For more information, see “Martyrs of Japan:” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Japan)

Current Global Economic Crisis: In general, you can expect costs to be high during your time in Japan – including your food and transportation costs. And you can expect that economic instability affects Japanese citizens.

Homeless: Unemployment, the loss of jobs, and other factors contribute to the reasons for the growing homeless population. (Source: http://archive.metropolis.co.jp/tokyofeaturestories/386/tokyofeaturestoriesinc.htm)

Net Café Refugees: This is a category of homeless who sleep in 24-hour Internet cafes and manga cafes. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_cafe_refugee)

Death from Overwork: In Japan, there is a phenomenon called “death from overwork” (Karoshi) or occupational sudden death. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karōshi)

Suicide: The suicide rate in Japan is one of the highest in the world among developed nations. For 10 consecutive years, there have been over 30,000 suicides per year. Financial concerns and unemployment are often factors.  (See also: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/03/19/suicide.forrest.japan/)

Bullying (Ijime): Student-to-student bullying is also a factor in student suicides. (Source: http://spi.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/21/3/227)

School Refusal (Tokokyohi): One of the reasons students may refuse to go to school is because of bullying. (Source: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~ja8i-brtl/school_Refusal.htm)

Social Withdrawal (Hikikomori): Persons become shut-ins; some not leaving their rooms. (Source: http://nhjournal37.blogspot.com/)

Tokyo: The metropolitan area of Tokyo is listed as the world’s most populated area. Also, nearly 1/3 of the population of Japan lives within Tokyo and its surrounding area. Within the Tokyo area, there are specific cities or districts which have personalities all their own and attract certain kinds of people and activities. For example, Harajuku attracts many young people; it has lots of street musicians, street fashion (gothic Lolita, etc.). Shibuya also attracts many young people and is a major nightlife area. Akihabara is referred to as the Electric Town (or Electric City). Think electronic gadgets, hi-tech items, computer games, or anime. Shinjuku is the site of the Shinjuku government towers (from the top floor, you can see the surrounding Tokyo area). The JR Shinjuku station has an estimated 3.4 million people pass through it each day, making it the busiest station in the world. Other important places in Tokyo include the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Tower, National Diet Building (national government building), and Yasukuni Shrine. In addition, there are numerous Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.

(Links checked December 10, 2014.)

For YWAM Outreach Teams

We, as YWAM Japan staff, want to help you prepare for your arrival in Japan. This page clarifies and explains the typical process of partnering with YWAM Japan staff in the greater Tokyo area. Our goal is to prepare your YWAM Outreach team, so that your experience and ours (as long-term YWAM Japan missionaries) might be enhanced.
Discernment Process
After you and your team have prayed and discerned that God has called you to come to Japan to serve on outreach, which specific locations (cities, regions) has God revealed to you? Please refer to the YWAM Japan web site for information on the various YWAM team locations in Japan (http://www.ywamjapan.com/jp/ministry/mini-top.html). Will your team serve the entire outreach in one location or more than one location?

What kinds of ministries has God put on your hearts? What spiritual gifts, talents, and skills do your teammates have? Do the existing YWAM Japan team locations have ministry opportunities you desire to provide? When you contact YWAM Japan staff, please inquire about ministry opportunities available in the area. YWAM Japan staff may also contact local churches and other ministries for your outreach experience. Please do not make direct contact with local churches or local ministries; please work through your YWAM Japan staff that have long-term commitments to serve in Japan and to develop enduring relations with local ministries and churches.

Information
At this time in the greater Tokyo area, there is no YWAM “base.” YWAM Japan missionaries typically live in their own rented housing in different locations throughout the greater Tokyo area. Therefore, there is no single “base” for housing large teams. If teams are willing to split up into smaller groups, it is usually easier to accommodate you within the Tokyo area. Please consult with the YWAM Japan staff at the locations your team intends to serve.

In the greater Tokyo area, here are the YWAM teams and a brief explanation of the ministries available:

·      YWAM Japan National Office (Tokyo): Prayer and intercession for Japan, homeless ministry, and prayer-walks with outreach teams. Email: ywamofficekk@gmail.com

·      YWAM Tokyo: Evangelism, worship, and Discipleship Training School. Email: kanto.area.director@gmail.com

·      NorthEast Tokyo (Ayase): Sports ministries, working with local churches, and an affiliated coffee house. Email: johnladue@inter.net

·      Narita (Chiba-ken): Church-planting and a Christian international preschool. Email: lkhministry@hotmail.co.jp

Three Keywords

In order to make your outreach fruitful, we advise you with three keywords: Good Preparation, Servant’s Heart, and Thorough Communication.

Good Preparation

•  Learn about Japan and prepare by praying frequently for your outreach and interceding for Japan. 
• In general, Japanese do not understand English. A translator may not always be available in every church. In order to tell the good news, something beyond language needs to be prepared in advance of your team’s arrival in Japan (such as pantomime, dance, music, drama, etc.). If you learn some Japanese greetings before coming to Japan, it also helps to make the Japanese people’s hearts more open to you.
• Please bring one set of clothing appropriate to wear in church at a Sunday worship service. These outfits do not have to be fancy. However, in Japan for special occasions, clothes are still one of the expressions of respect to others rather than just self-expression. Please consider how your team will look when you are standing on the platform in front of the congregation. How you present yourselves also reflects on other YWAM outreach teams and on YWAM Japan’s ongoing relationship with the local churches. At church services, please avoid wearing clothing that exposes a lot of skin, such as short pants, clothing with holes, sleeveless dresses, tank tops, spaghetti-strap tops, short skirts, beach sandals, low-slung pants, low-cut tops, etc. When in doubt, please “dress up” (rather than “dress down”).
• Please bring clothes appropriate for the season. In the winter, colds and flu usually go around. Often team members become sick. In summer, it is very humid and hot. In spring and autumn, the weather is unstable. Recommended: Bring vitamins, cold medicines which you find effective, etc. (Typically, medicines and vitamins are expensive in Japan, and you may not be able to read the labels with instructions in Japanese.
• Please practice using chopsticks before your arrival in Japan.

Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for Him (Matthew 3:3).

Servant's Heart

·      In Tokyo, there are no YWAM “bases” (only family or individual homes or apartments). In most cases, we will try to arrange for your team to stay at local churches where you can also serve. Local churches are typically not big or rich. Most likely, you will have to sleep on the floor. Please do not expect that every church has futons or beds. SLEEPING BAGS are NECESSARY for every member of the outreach team to bring.

·      Church people will welcome you and try their best to host you. However, they expect you to minister to them. Please serve them with a servant's heart.

·      Please plan to bring a gift for the host of each place where your team plans to stay. (Suggestions: Pray and ask God what to bring. Ideas: Gift cards with a photo of your team, small packages of specialty coffee, packaged sweets or treats, something representative of your home country.)

·      Please be sure that all members (not only outreach leaders) receive the pastor’s orientation at the beginning of your stay.

·      Please follow the pastor’s guidance during your time at the church. Cleaning, washing dishes, tidying your belongings, properly handling garbage (sorting, recycling), etc., can minister to Japanese hearts mightily. This demonstrates thoughtful stewardship of the church building and builds a foundation of trust. This is also a way of honoring your host.

·      Please be aware that your hosts will bear additional costs while your team is staying with them (increased use of utilities, household supplies, etc.). Please do your best to conserve energy and resources.

and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:27-29)

Thorough Communication

One of the enemy’s strategies to disturb your team’s unity is miscommunication. Prayerfully guard over all communication, particularly:

·      Communication between the outreach leader and the contact person in YWAM Japan

·      Communication between the outreach leader and the local pastor

·      Communication between the outreach leader and the members of the team

To minimize miscommunication, communicate thoroughly even on seemingly small matters. Please confirm and reconfirm every communication in order to keep unity in the body of Christ. When you hit a communication snag, be sure to intercede until you feel the breakthrough.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3).

(Updated September 16, 2009)