List of restrictions on Islam in Japan is full of errors

A list of claims supposedly outlining restrictions in Japan on Islam and Muslims is being shared online. However, many of these claims are incorrect or misleading. 

The list has appeared on social media since at least 2014 and continues to be shared on both Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). The posts claim Japan uses these “restrictions on Islam and ALL Muslims” to ”keep Islam at bay”. 

Full Fact has written about other false claims relating to Islam including that 30 parliamentary constituencies have majority Muslim populations, there are Muslim-only no-go areas in the UK and all schools in the UK only serve halal meat. 

Citizenship and residency

According to the list, Japan does not give either citizenship or permanent residency to Muslims, which is not the case. There is no mention of Islam or any other religion in the conditions for either naturalisation or permanent residency in Japan. 

Japan’s Ministry of Justice website says the requirements for becoming a Japanese citizen include living in Japan for a minimum of five years, being of “upright conduct” and the ability to “secure a livelihood in Japan”. There is also a “prevention of multiple nationality” condition, which means giving up any other nationality the applicant may hold. 

The criteria for permanent residency also include “good conduct”, residing in Japan for ten or more years and it being “in the interests of Japan”. 

An expert in sociology at Waseda University, Professor Hirofumi, estimated there were 230,000 Muslims in Japan in 2020 (which is an increase from the estimated 110,000 in 2010) including 47,000 citizens of Japan. 

According to a US State Department report, Japan has 87.9 million Shinto followers, 83.9 million Buddhists, 1.9 million Chirstians and 7.3 million people following other religious groups, including Islam, Baha’i Faith, Hinduism and Judaism. This comes to more than the population of Japan (124 million) because some citizens follow multiple religions.

Propagation of Islam 

The list claims “propagation of Islam is banned in Japan”, but we found no evidence supporting this. 

We could not find any Japanese laws relating specifically to Islam or its “propagation”.  

Article 20 of the Constitution of Japan says: “Freedom of religion is guaranteed to all”. It specifies that the state “shall refrain from religious education or any other religious activity”. 

It’s been reported that the increased population of Muslims in Japan may include up to 50,000 Japanese converts, while the number of mosques in Japan is reported to have increased from 15 in 1999 to 113 in March 2021. 

Arabic study and the Quran

Another claim in the post says: “In the University of Japan, Arabic or any Islamic language is not taught”. 

There are multiple universities in Japan that offer Arabic study. Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Kyoto University and Osaka University all offer language courses that include Arabic. 

The list also claims that imports to Japan of the Muslim holy book, the Quran “published in the Arabic language” are restricted. But the Quran is not listed as a prohibited good by Japan Customs and is available to buy from Amazon Japan, for example. 

Embassies in Islamic countries

It is not true that Japan “has a negligible number of embassies in Islamic countries”. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan lists embassies and consulates in many countries with majority Muslim populations. This includes: Indonesia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, among others. 

Law and language

The list claims that “there is no Sharia law in Japan”, and that “Muslims must follow Japanese law and language”.

It’s not quite clear what this first claim means. It’s true that Sharia or Islamic law, which refers to the principles of Islam, does not have legal force in Japan, just as it doesn’t in the UK. However, we can find no evidence that Muslims in Japan are prevented from abiding by its principles if they wish.  

As mentioned above, the country’s constitution protects the right to religious freedom. 

And specifically, the constitution of Japan says “no religious organisation shall receive any privileges from the State, nor exercise any political authority”. While Japan’s Penal Code applies to “anyone who commits a crime within the territory of Japan”. 

Japanese language skills are not listed as a formal requirement for becoming a Japanese citizen through naturalisation, although it may affect whether the applicant is deemed able to “make a living”.  

An immigration solicitor, Tokyo Immigration Service, recommends that applicants applying for naturalisation have “Japanese reading and writing skills at least equivalent to an ordinary 7 to 8 year old Japanese primary school student” and that they’re able to “have smooth Japanese oral communication with an officer in charge of [their] case”.

Renting property

According to the posts, “Muslims cannot rent a house in Japan”, but we could not find any laws to this effect.

Though the Constitution of Japan specifies that “the right to own or hold property is inviolable”, there have been reports of housing discrimination towards foreigners in Japan—not exclusively Muslims—with language barriers and guarantor requirements also reported as making it more difficult for foreigners to secure housing. 

Image courtesy of Benh LIEU SONG