The theme of this study is the Muslim community in Japan, linked to the image of Islam in Japanese society. Even until the late 20th century, only a select portion of the Japanese people had the opportunity to interact with the Muslims; therefore, Japanese knowledge and understanding of Islam and Muslims is generally minimal. The purpose of this research is to answer how Japanese society responded to the presence of Muslims in its midst.
This research will also describe the efforts of the Japanese and the Muslim community to improve their relationship regardless of what media portrayed Islam and Muslims. Another article discussed a Japanese monk and his efforts to mediate between Japanese citizens and Muslims in the city of Nakatsu through discussions. At the same time, the Japanese police spread fear of crimes committed by foreigners and the threat of terrorism from the Muslim community in Japan.
According to Kato12 as a lesson of the observer of Islam, apparently Islam is a foreign religion to Japanese society. Jikaku was concerned because the image of Islamic terrorism created by extremists was maintained within Japanese society. So far, these discussion forums have contributed to both Japanese residents and the Muslim community.
Because of the difference in lifestyle (food, prayer, dress), Japanese schools sooner or later have to adjust educational policy, equipment and precedent.
Muslims Life in the Middle of Japan Society 1. Halal Food
It was also noticed to him that in the mosque where NK and his wife often visit, there was also a study group that dealt with children. When A had just settled in Japan, the use of hijab was seen as strange in the eyes of the Japanese. Today, many Japanese have understood the reason for wearing the hijab and immediately recognize the wearer as a Muslim.
In recent years, the month of Ramadan in Japan coincides with the height of the summer season starting from July to August. In addition to the prayer rooms provided in shopping malls, restaurants, information centers and stations, a prayer room is being built at the Kyoto International Community House (Kokoka). Regarding the image of Islam, DJ thinks that the Japanese in the apartment complex are at least very normal on the surface.
This phenomenon is probably due to the high Muslim population living in Kobe city. The paradigm is that if the Mosque Welfare Council of the mosque has good contact with the police, the position of the Muslim community will be secure. The placement of the police gave them the impression that the Mosque Prosperity Council had opened itself up to the police, causing the police to become supporters of various Muslim activities in the mosque.
In addition to the increase in Muslim-friendly facilities, leaflet maps and mobile apps for smartphones have also been released. DK was at the mosque at the time of the interview to accompany her son who is learning Islam at the Osaka Ibaraki Mosque. She is married to an Indonesian who works at the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Osaka.
She also comes every Saturday afternoon to Ibaraki Mosque, R9 often comes to Osaka Ibaraki Mosque by motorcycle and participates in Islamic activities at the mosque. Usually, she and her husband attend religious lessons on the Qur'an and hadith until 10:00 p.m. Shahbaz Khan (the vice president of the Kyoto Muslim Association, otherwise known as the Center of Islamic Culture. Hereafter referred to as R10) admitted that visitors to the Center of Islamic Culture are mainly students and workers.
He went on to tell us that Kyoto is the first Muslim-friendly city in the world because the local government wants to increase the number of Muslim tourists. The halal food sold at the Islamic Cultural Center used to be from Australia, but now the halal food is produced in Japan.
Sources from the Book Nihon to Isuramu ga Deautoki: Sono Rekishi to Kanōsei 35
Her husband replied that if she had been learning and gaining knowledge about Islam in the mosque with the other female Muslims, she should have stopped going to the mosque and the study group. The revelation surprised R11 because she learned from her fellow Japanese Muslim friend that only pork and liquor are forbidden for Muslims to eat, and on the contrary, all seafood is allowed to eat. Depending on the Islamic school's interpretation and customs, there were schools that taught that there are things they should not eat, including seafood.
At the time, she was uneasy about her relationship in the company and her future. Impressed by the sincerity of her converting acquaintance, interest in Islam began to grow. She learned about Islam from the books in the library and bookstore before making the decision and converting in a mosque.
R12 and her acquaintance went to different mosques to introduce themselves and make friends with other Muslim women. Despite her new identity as a Muslim, R12 felt she received different treatment from her fellow Japanese converts. Whenever she attended gatherings and entered the Muslim women's room, there were Muslims showing uncomfortable faces.
At another time, R12 and another Muslim were in the middle of a conversation when a Muslim suddenly got involved in the conversation. On the contrary, the female Muslim admonished back in an angry shout and even accused her. After the abuse, no one included the Muslims that R12 considers a friend who gave a word or defended her.
Aware that her Muslim colleagues had betrayed her, she decided to leave the gathering early. Since Japan's Muslim population, especially Japanese converts, was not large, R12 feared the prospect of meeting Muslims she knew at another mosque. R12 was in a dilemma, wondering if she would really be rejected by Muslims by leaving Islam.
Concluding Remarks
Even so, despite the participation of the Muslim community, the community suffers from problems with human relations. For example in the case of R11, the problem was not in the Islamic learning activity that R11 attended, but in the differences between Islamic schools. The knowledge about Islam that R11 acquired at the mosque differed from the teachings of Islam that the man was taught.
From the case of R12, the lack of concern from the other members discourages her from learning the teachings of Islam and thus also becomes another problem with human relations. Many of the Muslims are foreigners and students staying temporarily, usually for 2-3 years. Other factors such as cultural diversity, factional diversity and the absence of continuous communication and the lack of strong affiliation also affected the Muslim community as an organized group.
Kato Seiko, "Musurimu no Kodomozōka Gakkō de Rikai to Oriai wo", The Sankei News, 26. september 2018, https://www.sankei.com/life/. Kokufuda Hideyuki, "Musurimu to Kekkonshite Kaishūshita Nipponjin Josei-tachi", Nippon.com, 6. september 2017, https://www.nippon.com/ ja/.
イスラム教徒の旅行者 - キサー・イスラム・ディ・ウタラ・ジェパン、日本：ネットメディアタマ、2017 年、https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFG_zuNHymU。西日本新聞、2017 年 12 月 27 日、https://www.nishinippon.co.jp/article/n/383087/、2018 年 4 月 24 日アクセス。ライアル、ジュリアン、「イスラム教徒はなぜ突然日本に旅行するのか?」、サウスチャイナ・モーニング・ポスト、2017 年 5 月 7 日、https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/
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