Seven percent of the Japanese teen population identify themselves as Christian according to a recent Gallup poll, and about four percent of the total population claim to be Christian.

These numbers are much higher than the percentages cited previously (one percent of the total population has been the common wisdom for years), but these figures come from the Gallup organization. They generally know what they’re doing.

Keep in mind the poll only indicates that people identify with Christian religion. The numbers are significant, but they only offer hints of what’s really going on. Still, it appears that many Japanese people are more open to Jesus than previously supposed.

The poll numbers took the organized church in Japan by surprise. Many are celebrating, but I think it’s worth adding that God seems to have worked both inside and outside organized church groups to reach out to these people. Here are a couple excerpts from an analysis of the findings:

Seven in ten adults, and half of teens say they do not know enough about the teachings of Jesus in order to give an evaluation…

Among those who express an opinion on “Christianity”, favorable views outweigh unfavorable ones by a ratio (of) three-to-one. Among teens, however, about equal percentages say favorable or unfavorable. Turning to evaluation of the “teachings of Jesus”, favorable opinion among adults outweighs unfavorable opinion by two-to-one. Among teens, on the other hand, equal proportions say favorable and unfavorable.

Interestingly, two out of three adults are “favorable” toward Christianity, but fewer (two out of three) are “favorable” toward Jesus. That’s a surprise. The disparity may reflect greater awareness of Christianity as a religion. Japanese are very averse to cults, so they may prefer (at least on the surface) Jesus as defined (and safely packaged) in religion.

Among young people, a higher percentage is negative toward both Christianity and Jesus. Considering the quote below, however, it’s not surprising that young people would have more polarized views. They are suffering due to their stage in life (caught up in the Japanese education project) and because of challenges confronting their generation (the loss of future job security, identity issues, etc.).

Compared to their U.S. counterparts, Japanese teens are extremely bleak in their outlook on life. Twenty- two percent of U.S. teens, but eighty-five percent of Japanese teens say they often wonder why they exist. Seventy-six percent of teens in the U.S. say they always see a reason for their being on Earth, but only 13% of Japanese teens say this. Seventy-six percent of U.S. teens say they would choose their life the way it is right now, but only half (48%) of their Japanese counterparts give this response. Twelve percent of U.S. teens wish they were someone else, but three times this percentage, 36%, of Japanese youth respond this way. And finally, three percent of U.S. teens would go so far as to say they wish they had never been born. But more than three times as many of Japanese teens (11%) give this startling response.

These are grim statistics in any culture. Add to this the perennial fact that Japanese lead the world in suicide statistics, and the suicide rate seems to be climbing. In 2002, suicide was the second leading cause of death for ages 15-24 and 40-54. Young people in Japan are suffering and in need of compassion and hope.

Yet very few in the survey say that spiritual life compared to other aspects of life, is “extremely important.” Far ahead of spiritual life in importance are family, friends, and education.

But I do have questions about this data from the survey. It may reflect a biased way of framing questions about spiritual things. What if the Japanese are spiritual people who don’t split (dichotomize) spiritual and ordinary life the way the Westerners do? If so, then the data (or the analysis) might have missed that. I don’t know, but this is my suspicion (or hope).

What if knowing and following Jesus was a lived out, practical part of a person’s experience of family, friends, and education? I suspect that many Japanese would love to learn more about Jesus, and perhaps be open to faith in Christ, if they could do so without having to take up all the religious baggage and lingo at the same time.