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People group profile · PG033527

The Japanese of Peru

The Japanese of Peru, numbering about 168,000 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 Spanish.

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 3.1 Flash Lite: Japanese

Fast facts

Country
Peru
Population
168,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Japanese
Primary language
Spanish (spa)
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

45% adherents

Primary language

Spanish · Indo-European family

100% speak Spanish

Gospel resources in Spanish

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Japanese

  1. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  2. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
  3. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  4. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.

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
JapaneseBrazil1,745,000Engaged yet Unreached
JapaneseUnited States1,530,000Engaged yet Unreached
JapaneseChina172,000Unengaged and 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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