Japanese in China, Hong Kong

Introduction / History

In 1880 there were less than a hundred Japanese in Hong Kong. In World War II, the Japanese invaded and ruled Hong Kong. Not many Japanese made Hong Kong their home except for a few officials.

After the war, the Japanese economy was poor but as it improved, Japan invested abroad and more Japanese came to live in Hong Kong.

What Are Their Lives Like?

In the last two decades of the 20th century there was a big increase in the number of Japanese who came to Hong Kong with Japanese companies. The Eastern District has the largest number of Japanese. There is a Japanese school and also a weekly newspaper called the Hong Kong Post.

Most Japanese in Hong Kong have been businessmen but in the last decade of the twentieth century unmarried Japanese women came as their career opportunities were better than in Japan. Japanese companies were more inclined to give single women work due to lower employment costs. The Japanese women found that when they spoke English, they were better off than the locals. In addition to speaking both Japanese and English, some Japanese in Hong Kong speak Mandarin and Cantonese.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Japanese combine Buddhism and their native Shintoism in a way that is unique to them. They are primarily concerned with material wealth and economic success, so all religious activities are done with this end in mind.

What Are Their Needs?

The Japanese in Hong Kong need to put their trust and identity in the hands of the loving God of Creation who sent his son to make it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God.

Prayer Points

Pray that, as with the Japanese in general, they realize materialism leaves a spiritual void.

Pray for them to realize that only Jesus Christ offers life to the full.

Pray that Hong Kong Christian believers will lead the Japanese to Jesus Christ.

Text Source:   Joshua Project