The Expansion of Jehovah's Witnesses in Japan

From Post-World War II to the Mid-1970s

Abstract

The number of Japanese followers of Jehovah's Witnesses today is more than 210,000. This study examines how Jehovah's Witnesses expanded in Japan without undergoing any wilting in the sect's unique doctrines and practices, and focuses on the missionary strategy of the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in the process of establishing the Japanese branch. Information about Jehovah's Witnesses is extracted from its published literature. Research has revealed that a significant part of Jehovah's Witnesses is an organizational principle termed “theocratic organization,” which stipulates that loyalty to the world headquarters is similar to loyalty toward God. Therefore, the more important problem for Japanese followers was loyalty to the world headquarters rather than adapting the sect's unique doctrines to socially accepted standards and norms in Japan. It seems that the Japanese branch compliant to the “theocratic organization” principle was established in the mid-1970s at the latest. Japanese followers are mobilized to undertake missionary work termed “pioneering,” as directed by the headquarters. The urgency of relating to the doctrine of prophecy, which is a characteristic doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses, has also stirred Japanese followers to missionary work. Many Japanese followers spend considerable time on such work. Therefore, the number of Japanese followers of Jehovah's Witnesses has steadily increased even though, under the prevalent social condition, the likelihood of gaining new followers was low.