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Abstract:
Since the 1946 enactment of the "Religious Legal-Person Ordinance", the Japanese law on religion has gone through more than ten revisions, but its consistent principles have always been freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. The government has always respected the right of religious legal persons to autonomy and self-regulation. With regard to the internal management of religious groups, the "denomination council" system and the "responsible officer" system reflect the principle of democracy and equality, providing protection at the system level for the post-war development of religion. Because of a relaxed policy environment and democratized management, religion in post-war Japan developed greatly. But after the Aum Shinrikyo incident in 1995, the Japanese government made major revisions to the law on religion. While still respecting the self-management of religious groups, the government strengthened its management of them, and the activities of religious groups came under certain limitations.
Key words: Japan, the Religious Legal-Person Law, management of religion, denominational council, responsible service person
According to the Annual Yearbook on Religion (2006 edition) published by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs, the number of religious believers totaled 210 million, more than Japans' total population. The number of religious legal persons nationwide totaled 1 82,000. Religious venues are spread out all over the nation and religion exerts a great influence on every aspect of Japanese society. Religious legal persons are from Shintoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and "new religions". (1) But whether from organizational cohesiveness, the number of adherents, or social impact, Buddhist groups (including both the traditional Buddhist sects and new emerging sects) occupy a predominant position [compared with other systems of religion]. Since Prince Shötoku enacted the "Seventeen-article Constitution" in 604, explicitly making "revering the three treasures" the national ideology of Japan, Buddhism has been closely integrated with Japanese politics, economy and culture. Even to the present day, it still has a profound impact on every aspect of Japanese society.
Below is an examination of Japan's religious management system using Buddhism as an example, along with a review of the historical evolution of Japan's law on religion.
I. Evolution of Japan's law on religion in the post-war era
Japan's first law on religion was the "Religious Organizations Law" enacted in 1 940. Because it...