Japanese New Religions in Latin America

Definition

Japanese New Religions are new religious movements founded in Japan since the end of the nineteenth century, many of them through charismatic leaders and the institutionalization of Japanese popular religiosity. They were introduced in Latin America mainly in the second half of the twentieth century following immigration waves from Japan, although nowadays some of these groups have a majority of followers among non-Japanese descendants.

Introduction

In Japan, the new religious movements are frequently defined according to the date of their creation. In spite of different theories regarding their rising, terms like new religion (Jap. shinshūkyo) point out movements that emerged especially by the end of the bakufu government (1867–1868). Another more controversial term is “new, new” religion (Jap. shin-shinshūkyo), which applies to new movements that grew especially in the 1970s and 1980s, of a more magical and mystical character, in contrast to movements that appeared after...