By Ken Joseph Jr.
Special to ASSIST News ServiceTOKYO, JAPAN (ANS) – Japanese DJ Ikarashi Yoshitaka says, “We see what we are doing is introducing Gospel Music to Japan as well as helping new Japanese Artists as an extension of the long history of Christianity in Japan.”

Japanese DJ Ikarashi Yoshitaka says, “We see what we are doing is introducing Gospel Music to Japan as well as helping new Japanese Artists as an extension of the long history of Christianity in Japan.”What Ikarashi is referring to is “Gospel Revolution”, the first Gospel Music Program on a regular Radio Station in Japan. Begun, just a year ago the program is gaining not only market share and a good solid listener base, but also regular sponsorship.

Station Representative, Hirofumi Araki, says, “At first we were surprised and a bit hesitant of having a Gospel Music program. Now we are considering extending the time as well as expanding the program content. The program has brought a new audience to our station that we have no previously had. In particular it is great to see the vision and excitement of the young people and all the new talent being introduced on our station.”

In a country traditionally thought of as Buddhist and Shinto, a revisionist view of History has come to the fore, led by new discoveries into the history of Christianity in Japan.

A book entitled, “Japan: The Nation of the Cross”, which is now available in secular bookstores throughout the country, traces a much stronger Christian history in the country than previously thought.

Beginning in the first century, Assyrian Christian migrants are believed to have brought the faith to Japan culminating in the beginning of the 17th century when the Christian population of Japan was estimated by Historian Masaru Anesaki to be approximately 30%.

The Japanese Holocaust which began in 1600 and lasted until 1859 is the longest recorded sustained persecution of Christians in modern history. It is estimated that nearly one million of the “hidden Christians”, known as “Kirishitan” in the vernacular, were killed, often hung upside down and tortured.

Ikarashi says, “We have a huge debt to the ‘Kirishitan’ who went before us and have recently heard that what we though was only a 1% Christian population is now closer to 6% and growing. Having attained the ‘economic miracle’ of rising from the ruins of World War II, Japanese young people are now searching for meaning in life.”

A special feature of the weekly Gospel Music Program is it is featuring some of the nearly 100 new Japanese Gospel Music groups.

A weekly prayer meeting in which these groups gather to pray for the program and for a higher profile in an economically strong but spiritually weak Japan is believed by some observers as some of the beginning signs of a long predicted spiritual revival in Japan.

“We are hoping Christian Music publishers from throughout the world can help us with DVDs of new artists, permission to broadcast their music and we believe that we are on the verge of a spiritual revival in Japan,” said Ikarashi Yoshitaka.

Those interested in reaching the group and or sending unneeded DVDs of Gospel Music and Christian Books can send them to; Gospel Revolution, Box 65, Tokyo, Japan 106-8691 or by e-mail to: info@kirisuto.com.