The number of Muslims in Japan is increasing significantly

TRT reported that the number of Muslims in Japan is increasing. According to a study by Hirofumi Tanada, professor emeritus at Waseda University, by the end of 2023, there will be about 350,000 Muslim Japanese citizens living in the country .

He said that this figure was more than three times higher than in 2005. At that time, the number of Muslims was only 100,000.

Japan is relaxing its immigration policy due to a labor shortage, according to the Nikkei newspaper. However, Indonesian Muslims say they are having difficulty finding mosques to pray and halal food.

"Surveys show that most Japanese have little or no idea about Islam," says Hizuru Miki, an expert at Soai University.

The Indonesian diaspora in Japan is growing particularly rapidly. By the end of 2024, there were about 200,000 Indonesians living in the country. This is a 34 percent increase compared to 2023 and almost double the number two years ago.

For example, about 6,500 Muslims gathered at an Indonesian school in Tokyo and a mosque in the area for the 2024 Ramadan holiday.

The growing number of Muslims is creating a problem for finding space for mosques in the country. Previously, prayers were held in schools or mosques in the country every year during Ramadan, but this time it became clear that the existing building was not enough.

"Although the need for foreign workers in Japan is increasing significantly, the country has not yet been able to fully adapt to the religious and cultural needs of Muslims," says a government official.