Statement of Project

Statement of Proposed Research Project

This project will focus on “Pentecostalism and Charismatic Movements in East Asia,” particularly in Japan and Korea. Pentecostalism (along with Christianity in general) has been very successful in Korea, yet (in striking contrast) not so in Japan. This project aims to clarify the actual state of Pentecostalism and charismatic movements in Japan and Korea (transplanted from the West as well as indigenous forms), and to analyze the differences between Japan and Korea as well as from similar movements in the West. This will involve examining the actual state of Pentecostalism and charismatic movements in these two societies, as well as “transnational” phenomena such as Korean Pentecostalism in Japan, Pentecostalism among Japanese-Brazilians in Brazil and the importation and development of these religious movements among Japanese-Brazilian immigrant workers in Japan.

 This will allow for a transnational and transcultural examination of the subject. In addition, charismatic/shamanic activities (such as glossalia, healing, and exorcism) are an important part of the religious traditions of Japan and Korea. An essential aspect of the project will be to examine the relationship with and influence of traditional charismatic activities on Pentecostalism in these cultures, as well as the role of charismatic religion in Japanese and Korean society.

Importance of the Project and Its Contribution

This project will contribute to a wider understanding of Pentecostalism by clarifying the “transnational” and “non-Western” aspects of these movements, such as new forms and activities in Latin America, Japan, and Korea. It will reach some conclusions on what is distinctive about Christian Pentecostal/charismatic movements, particularly in relation to other new religious movements or non-Christian traditions, the role and influence of these movements in Japan and Korea, and the possible future of these movements in East Asia, as well as its possible “rebound” influence on Pentecostalism in the West.