People group profile · PG016892
The Japanese of Brazil
The Japanese of Brazil, numbering about 1,745,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an East Asian people whose culture reflects the interaction of indigenous traditions, East Asian influences, island geography, and long historical continuity. Their Japanese language serves as one of the strongest markers of national identity.
They are a diaspora people in the Japanese people cluster of the East Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Shinbutsu-Shugo, and they primarily speak Portuguese.

Fast facts
- Country
- Brazil
- Population
- 1,745,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Japanese
- Primary language
- Portuguese (por)
- Primary religion
- Shinbutsu-Shugo
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- South America, Americas
Where they live
Gospel status
The Japanese are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Japanese
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Shinbutsu-Shugo · Ethnoreligion
50% adherents
Primary language
Portuguese · Indo-European family
100% speak Portuguese
Gospel resources in Portuguese
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
- JESUS (Portuguese, Brazil)
- JESUS (Portuguese, Portugal)
- Magdalena (Portuguese, Brazil)
- Magdalena (Portuguese, Portugal)
- The Savior (Portuguese, Brazil)
Bibles
- 2014 Bible League International · text
- Almeida Corrigida Fiel (ACF) · text
- Almeida Revista e Atualizada · audio
- Almeida Revista e Corrigida · audio
- João Ferreira de Almeida Atualizada · text
- Nova Traducao na Linguagem de Hoje · video, audio
- Tradução Interconfessional - a BÍBLIA para todos · audio, text
- Tradução de João Ferreira de Almeida · text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Japanese
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Japanese in other countries
The same people (ROP3 104189) is reported in 20 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | Japan | 119,590,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Japanese | United States | 1,530,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Japanese | China | 172,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Japanese | Peru | 168,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Japanese | Canada | 82,500 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Japanese | Australia | 57,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Japanese | Singapore | 43,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Japanese | Argentina | 41,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Japanese | Germany | 25,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Japanese | France | 24,500 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Japanese | New Zealand | 21,500 | No Longer Unreached |
| Japanese | Bolivia | 21,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Japanese | Malaysia | 17,000 | No Longer Unreached |
| Japanese | Hong Kong | 10,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Japanese | Taiwan | 9,600 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Japanese | Spain | 2,400 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Japanese | Panama | 2,300 | No Longer Unreached |
| Japanese | Dominican Republic | 2,300 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Japanese | Micronesia | 950 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Japanese | Portugal | 700 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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