May 2023

Japan

The greatest gospel gap in the world is in 50 countries—they have barely any new, thriving churches. And nearly 75% of all the world’s unreached people (3.6 billion) live in 12 of those countries. These people have the least access to the gospel in their own language.

Engage in strategic, focused prayer for the 12 countries of the world that are least reached with the gospel without ever leaving home.

Every month in 2023 we’ll feature one of these countries, familiarize you with its culture, and share prayer requests addressing the country’s specific needs. We believe the light of Jesus can shine through!

All about Japan

Japan is an archipelago made up of over 6,800 islands but most are not inhabited. Mountains—including Mount Fuji in the Japanese Alps—cover close to 75% of Japan’s landmass. Dense forests also cover 67% of Japan, leaving many of the country’s 125 million residents to crowd large cities.

Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market—the largest fish market in the world—once auctioned a tuna for $1.7 million!

Japan is home to a record 80,000 centenarians—people who live to be 100 years old or older. About 28.7% of the population is 65 or older.

While the majority of Japanese people practice Buddhism or Shintoism to some extent, these beliefs are generally viewed as a way of life, rather than a religion. Less than 2% claim to be Christian.

Manga, a type of comic book or graphic novel, accounts for approximately 40% of publications sold in Japan.

While sumo wrestling is the official national sport of Japan, more Japanese people indicate that baseball is their favorite sport.

Pray for ministries and churches in Japan to be united. Pray that they would grow in trust and pursue peace with one another.

Many Japanese youth suffer from crushing depression. Shame over poor school performance or feeling isolated can leave them feeling hopeless about the future. Pray that they will find their security and hope in God.

Many Japanese people would prefer to accept Jesus as another great teacher among many that they admire. For many Japanese, the claim that Jesus is the one true living God is offensive. Pray that Japanese people who hold a universalistic perspective would be open to seeing Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.

Six-month Prayer Guide

Use this guide to help focus your daily prayers for six months. Each request covers a day of the week and centers on pivotal ministry needs.

Prayer Guide

Prayer Experience

Access a full list of prayer requests and add your own prayer request to our public prayer experience (web browser access only). Save it as a bookmark to return to it regularly.

View Prayer Requests

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