From 4 to 150 Mosques: Japan’s Fast‑Growing Muslim Population Sparks Tension and Debate

Japan, long seen as a largely homogeneous and secular society, is witnessing a silent but sweeping religious shift. A generation ago, the country had just a handful of mosques-around four to fifteen, depending on the count-while today there are roughly 140–150 prayer halls and Islamic centers spread across major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and Nagoya.

This rapid expansion reflects the quietly rising Muslim population, which has grown from around 30,000–110,000 in the 1990s and early 2010s to an estimated 350,000-420,000 by 2025, making Muslims roughly 0.3% of Japan’s total population.

How Muslim numbers grew

The surge in Muslim residents is largely linked to changes in Japan’s labour and immigration policies. Over the past two decades, Tokyo has allowed more foreign workers-especially technical interns and trainees-to fill gaps in an ageing workforce, drawing large numbers from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia and Turkey, all with significant Muslim populations.

Alongside these migrants, there has also been a steady trickle of Japanese converts, often through marriage, study or personal spiritual journeys, which has helped deepen the social footprint of Islam beyond “temporary” workers.

Mosques and religious visibility

Where once Muslims quietly prayed in small community‑run halls or repurposed buildings, today there are neighborhood‑level mosques, Islamic cultural centers and halal restaurants that make Islam a visible part of urban life.

The number of mosques has gone from roughly 15–30 in the early 2000s to well over 140–150 in 2025, with some estimates suggesting 6–7 new mosques opening each year in recent years.

Tokyo’s grand Tokyo Camii and Kobe’s historic Kobe Mosque have become landmarks, drawing both worshippers and tourists, while smaller local mosques enable daily prayers, religious education and community support for Muslim families.

Rising anti‑Muslim sentiment

Despite this growth, Japanese society is deeply divided over the trend. A number of researchers and activists report that anti‑Muslim and xenophobic sentiment has surged over the past 15 years, partly fuelled by far‑right groups, social‑media narratives and the country’s political tilt toward tougher immigration controls. Incidents of hate speech, online harassment of Muslim communities, and protests against new mosque construction or “Muslim immigration” have become more frequent, with demonstrations taking place in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.

Experts also link the rise in anti‑Muslim feeling to Japan’s alignment with pro‑Israel foreign‑policy positions, especially after Israel’s attacks on Gaza. Some academics argue that pre‑existing xenophobia toward Koreans, Chinese and other Asian migrants has increasingly shifted toward Muslims, with pro‑Israel lobbies and activists using the Israel–Palestine conflict to brand Muslims as “foreign threats.”

Human Rights Watch and other rights groups have warned that Japan’s failure to enact strong anti‑discrimination laws and to confront rising xenophobia could worsen tensions as the number of foreign residents, including Muslims, continues to climb.

Government and social debate

Japan’s new leadership, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, faces growing pressure to balance the country’s urgent need for migrant labour with the rising backlash against immigration.

On the one hand, the government has created a new cabinet post on issues affecting foreign nationals and is being urged to pass comprehensive anti‑discrimination legislation; on the other, populist parties and far‑right groups demand stricter controls, deportation of “disruptive” migrants and even limits on mosque construction.

Within Japanese civil society, voices are split. Some religious leaders and academics welcome the diversification of Japan’s culture, arguing that Islam can enrich interfaith dialogue and urban life. Others, especially in conservative and nationalist circles, see rapid mosque growth and Muslim population increases as a threat to Japan’s “traditional” identity and insist that immigration must be slowed or reversed.

What lies ahead

With Japan’s population shrinking and its economy increasingly dependent on foreign workers, officials may find it hard to roll back migration even if public sentiment hardens further.

At the same time, Muslim communities are pushing for greater recognition, protection of religious rights, and help in solving practical issues such as burial grounds and halal food access.

The result is a tense but defining moment: a nation that once barely registered Islam is now grappling with how to absorb a growing Muslim minority-politically, legally and socially-while trying to avoid a full‑blown culture war.