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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.

Pray for the JapanesePrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Japanese people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Japanese

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

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Japanese

  1. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  2. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  3. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  4. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.

Download a prayer guide

Japanese in other countries

The same people (ROP3 104189) is reported in 20 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
JapaneseJapan119,590,000Engaged yet Unreached
JapaneseUnited States1,530,000Engaged yet Unreached
JapaneseChina172,000Unengaged and Unreached
JapanesePeru168,000Engaged yet Unreached
JapaneseCanada82,500Engaged yet Unreached
JapaneseAustralia57,000Engaged yet Unreached
JapaneseSingapore43,000Engaged yet Unreached
JapaneseArgentina41,000Unengaged and Unreached
JapaneseGermany25,000Unengaged and Unreached
JapaneseFrance24,500Unengaged and Unreached
JapaneseNew Zealand21,500No Longer Unreached
JapaneseBolivia21,000Unengaged and Unreached
JapaneseMalaysia17,000No Longer Unreached
JapaneseHong Kong10,000Unengaged and Unreached
JapaneseTaiwan9,600Unengaged and Unreached
JapaneseSpain2,400Engaged yet Unreached
JapanesePanama2,300No Longer Unreached
JapaneseDominican Republic2,300Unengaged and Unreached
JapaneseMicronesia950Unengaged and Unreached
JapanesePortugal700Unengaged and Unreached

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