Professor Reflects on Tragic History of Christian Persecution in Japan

August 21, 2024 — 8/21/2024 Japan (International Christian Concern) — Paul Marshall, Wilson Distinguished Professor of Religious Freedom at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, recently penned an analysis of Christian...

Spotlight on Religious Freedom at IRF Summit Asia

July 25, 2024 — 7/25/2024 Southeast Asia (International Christian Concern) — The second regional International Religious Freedoms (IRF) Asia Summit wrapped up this week in Tokyo, Japan, sponsored in part by International Christian Concern...

History of Christianity, Persecution in Japan Displayed in Paris Art Exhibition

May 31, 2024 — 5/30/2024 France (International Christian Concern) — The difficult, troubled, yet faithful history of Christianity in Japan is currently on display in a Paris art exhibition titled “From Samurai to Manga,...

Southeast Asian Elections Will Impact Christians in the Region in 2024 and Beyond

January 12, 2024 — 01/12/2024 Southeast Asia (International Christian Concern) – The Taiwanese national election on January 13 will kickstart several other elections in the Southeast Asia region in 2024. Hundreds of millions of...

Religious Freedom on the Agenda as Blinken Embarks on First Trip Abroad

March 15, 2021 — 03/15/2021 United States (International Christian Concern) – Landing in Japan this morning, Secretary of State Antony Blinken kicked off the first in a series of meetings with key U.S. allies...

Japanese Catholics in 16th Century Forced to Trample on Christ

November 27, 2019 — 11/27/2019 Japan (International Christian Concern) – Pope Francis’ recent visit to Japan helps shed light on the nation’s little known past – a period where the Japanese Catholics were forced...

NGO Steps In to Help Relocate Kachin IDPs

April 8, 2019 — 04/08/2019 Myanmar (International Christian Concern) – A Japanese foundation has delivered a grant of US$300,000 to assist displaced Kachin communities in Myanmar’s Kachin state last week. In partnership with the...

Scroll Dating To Era of Intense Persecution Discovered in Japan

December 1, 2018 — 12/01/2018 Japan (International Christian Concern) – A scroll recently discovered in a Japanese museum is believed to be from the earliest days of Christianity in the country. With the history...

Focus on Persecution Helps Japan Win UNESCO Status for Christian Sites

July 20, 2018 — ICC Note: The reason the dozen Christian sites related to Japan’s religious persecution were recently awarded World Heritage status is largely due to the fact that they demonstrate how the believers...

Japanese Sites Linked to Christian Persecution Added to World Heritage List

July 2, 2018 — ICC Note: On June 30, UNESCO decided to add Japanese 12 sites that are linked to the history of persecuted Christians to the World Heritage list. These sites in southwestern Japan...

Japanese Christians Detained by China Safely Return Home

June 5, 2018 — ICC Note: 21 members of a Japanese Christian group who were detained between May 5 and 15 across China for their missionary activities have safely returned home, according to Japan’s Ministry...

Christian Sites Marking Persecution in Japan to Gain World Heritage Recognition

June 1, 2018 — ICC Note: Several Christian landmarks in Japan marking the religious persecution Christians endured during the Tokugawa shogunate (1630-1867) might soon gain World Heritage recognition status from UNESCO. The sites, located in...

Churches Linked to Christian Persecution in Japan Closer to World Heritage Status

May 4, 2018 — ICC Note: UNESCO recommend 12 sites linked to the persecution of Japanese ‘Hidden Christians’ for World Heritage status. These sites in the Nagasaki and Kumamoto region show how Japanese Christians persevered...

Nagasaki Opens Museum Honoring Persecuted Christians in Japan

April 12, 2018 — ICC Note: A museum in Nagasaki opened earlier this month in remembrance of the 26 Christians who were killed for their faith before Japan legalized the religion in the 19th century....

The Japanese Church that Withstood Centuries of Persecution May Now Become a World Heritage Site

August 1, 2016 — ICC Note: The story of Christianity in Japan over the past 500 years has not risen to the same effect of prolific evangelism and church planting that nearby world powers...

Unearthed Bones in Japan Revealed to be 18th Century Christian Martyr

June 3, 2016 — ICC NOTE: There was a time when Christianity was considered a hostile western influence in Japan. Christians were persecuted like many other Southeast Asian countries. They were placed in prisons...