JAPAN

Geography

Area: 377,801 sq. km. A 3,000 km arc of four large islands (Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, Kyushu) and 3,000 small islands in NW Pacific. Mountainous; only 13% can be cultivated.

Population

2000     126,714,220

2010     127,315,474 (est)

2025     121,150,001 (est)

Peoples

Japanese 98.6%. Ainu 0.2% The aboriginal inhabitants who have largely lost their original languages. Foreign 1.2%. Korean 675,000; Chinese 252,000; Filipino 75,000. Possibly another 500,000 illegal immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Economy

The world's most powerful export-oriented economy despite lack of natural resources and oil. By 2001 economy was in recession and unemployment rate rising. Public debt 50% of Gross National Product. Average income per person $38,160 (121% of USA).

Religion

Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all by the constitution, but the rising power of nationalistic Shintoism partly associated with the new emperor is tarnishing that freedom. Over 80% of Japanese claim no personal religion; but most follow the demands of idolatrous and ancestor-venerating Buddhism, and rituals of polytheistic Shintoism. Many also follow some of the hundreds of offshoots of newer religious movements that are off-shoots of these.

Demographic information from "Operation World".

Rowane Lemmon

Nagoya, Japan

Ministry Overview:

Since 1988 Rowane has been serving as director of Asian Outreach-Japan, which is a member of the Asian Outreach Alliance.  Asian Outreach is a ministry founded by the late Paul Kauffman, and now led by President David Wang, from their headquarters in Hong Kong.

The primary ministry of Asian Outreach, in Japan, is to recruit prayer, personnel, and finances for the extension of God's Kingdom in Asia and to Asians worldwide.  Their motto is:  "Winning Asians for Christ." 

Asian Outreach-Japan is doing this by encouraging churches and believers to realize that the command to go into all the world is one which Japanese Christians need to heed.  They received the gospel, basically through the efforts of missionaries from the West.  Now that the church in Japan has matured; though yet small percentage wise; it is their responsibility to evangelize both inside and outside their own borders.

In addition to this position, Rowane is involved with a local Japanese church, especially in the international division, where they provide a place of worship and spiritual growth for foreigners who are spending time in Japan.  Because the services are conducted in English, they also endeavor to invite Japanese, who have an interest in learning English, to accompany them.  In so doing, many Japanese nationals have been saved.  One young Japanese lady saved in this way is now serving the Lord in China.

Rowane serves on several interchurch committees, coordinating local and national conferences.

She first came to Japan in 1969, serving two and a half years. She returned in 1976 and continues ministering there today.

Current Projects:

Preparing a bi-monthly newsletter in Japanese, patterned after the English edition of Asian Report.

Representing Asian Outreach at local and national conferences

Inviting guests from Asian Outreach ministry locations to tour churches in Japan with the goal of challenging Japanese believers to greater missions involvement.

Conducting periodic tours of locations of Asian Outreach ministry within Asia. 

Assisting churches and Bible schools wishing to take evangelism tours into Asia.

Creating projects to raise funds for Asian ministry, especially within Mongolia, where we have established a Key Partner relationship.

Friendship evangelism through projects such as Christmas hospitality activities, participation in an annual city-sponsored exhibit, association with civic groups, etc.

Serving as a resource center for those desiring information on how they might serve in Asia.