Japanese and religion with politics

[SouthernBelle82]

One thing I don't like here in the States is how our politics and our religion (Christianity) is combined and so intertwined. I was wondering if politics in Japan have that problem. We're not supposed to have this problem according to our Constitution but yet we do. In the last year's elections a guy was elected who was a Muslim and too many people freaked out about it and him doing his mock ceremony on the Quran. What are politicians like in Japan with religion? Are they private about it or do they use it to help them get elected and to shape their beliefs with politics?

[GodEmperorLeto]

One thing I don't like here in the States is how our politics and our religion (Christianity) is combined and so intertwined. I was wondering if politics in Japan have that problem. We're not supposed to have this problem according to our Constitution but yet we do. In the last year's elections a guy was elected who was a Muslim and too many people freaked out about it and him doing his mock ceremony on the Quran. What are politicians like in Japan with religion? Are they private about it or do they use it to help them get elected and to shape their beliefs with politics?
Shinto and Buddhism have been integral parts of Japanese politics up until probably the end of the Showa period. In fact, politics, including Christianity, were part of some of the religious struggles during the Sengoku Jidai and the early Tokugawa shogunate.

Currently, Japanese government is considered secular. The Emperor is no longer considered divine. In fact, many Japanese are very secular in their everyday lives, despite still practicing Shinto traditions, such as reverence for ancestors, and holding on to Shinto superstitions.

As for the United States, the framers of the Constitution said that Congress could make no law regulating or favoring any religion over another. It never said the two were to be separate, but partisanism has knifed that entire philosophy in the face.

[pipokun]

It is an irony that a local assembly member of Japan Communist Party in my town attends an city event where a local shinto priest conduct a religeous ceremony, though JCP claims that they surely protect freedom of religion.

Komeito is a ruling coalition party supported by the biggest new Buddhism sect and they have their private schools. And they get subsidy from the govenment like other religious, Christianity, Buddhism, Shinto or else, schools.


Article 20.
Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all. No religious organization shall receive any privileges from the State, nor exercise any political authority.
No person shall be compelled to take part in any religious act, celebration, rite or practice.
The State and its organs shall refrain from religious education or any other religious activity.
Article 89.
No public money or other property shall be expended or appropriated for the use, benefit or maintenance of any religious institution or association, or for any charitable, educational or benevolent enterprises not under the control of public authority.


Well, it is one of the loopholes you can not understand just from reading the constitution.

[scorpion da black]

i think japan respects other religions more than the U.S
muslims (as our freind started his example) are treated the same way japanese-americna people were treated back in world war two...although many muslims live there and a lot of mosques are built..but they are kept at a high servalince 24/7
while in japan muslims practice all their lives freely and in the open........you can check the " kobe mosque " and check for ur selves as an example...
although there was some unidnts against muslims by " neyo " the radical organization that hate all gaijin...