Japan’s greatest area of need

Japan is ranked 16th out of 167 countries in the 2023 Legatum Prosperity Index.¹ No surprises there, you might think. It reflects the fact that Japan is a prosperous nation with the fourth-largest economy in the world. It boasts excellent health and education systems and enjoys good law and order.

But what is surprising—really shocking, in fact—is that Japan is ranked a pitiful 141st in terms of social capital—a measure of “the strength of personal and social relationships, social norms, civic participation in a country, and social tolerance.” Countries such as Rwanda, Iraq, and Cambodia are rated higher than Japan for social capital, and only 26 countries have a lower rating.

Social capital refers to the networks of relationships among people in a society. People in a society with high social capital generally feel connected to others and feel they can rely on their social network for the support they need. Social capital has been linked with a wide range of benefits, including community resilience, economic development, and mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how important social contact and community support are.

Why is social capital in Japan so low?

After noting that social capital in Japan has dropped 40 ranks since 2013, the Legatum report² attributes this decline to an ageing society: “An ageing population and declining birth rate have significantly challenged Japanese society . . . fewer people feel respected, willing or able to help other households because of a rising dependency ratio within the country” (39). Certainly, older people tend to have fewer social connections and find it harder to make meaningful contributions to society.

But even at its peak of 89th in 2012 (it rose 31 places in 2012, possibly because the triple disaster of 2011 had the effect of bringing people together), social capital in Japan wasn’t great. Other factors that may contribute to its low ranking could be long working hours, high urbanization, and cultural norms that make it hard for people to connect.

To gain a more complete picture of social capital in Japan, it’s helpful to drill down into the categories the Legatum ranking is based on. Legatum breaks social capital down into five elements (see Table 1), which in turn are based on 14 indicators (see Table 2). It’s fascinating to look at the various aspects that contribute to Japan’s low social capital.

Of the five elements, social tolerance is ranked much higher (85th out of 167) than the other four, indicating that Japan is a reasonably tolerant society. Interestingly, the perceived tolerance for LGBT people (ranked 69th) is considerably higher than those for immigrants (103rd) and ethnic minorities (128th). If this perceived tolerance to LGBT people were removed from the equation, social tolerance would presumably drop to the levels of the next two elements and the overall social capital rating would be even lower. I also suspect that tolerance for Westerners is much higher than for people of other ethnicities.

Personal and family relationships is ranked second at 113th. What is really intriguing is the stark difference between the two indicators: many people felt they could rely on help from family and friends when in trouble (34th), whereas extremely few received positive energy from their family (163rd). This suggests that family members can be relied on for support in difficult times, but that family life is not very revitalizing for the vast majority of people. It might indicate that people are more compelled by a sense of duty towards their families rather than affection.

The two elements that make up interpersonal trust are even more polarised. On the one hand, there is a high level of generalised interpersonal trust (ranked 25th in the world). But on the other hand, extremely few people have helped a stranger (165th). Only two countries in the world (Belarus and Cambodia) have lower rates of helping strangers. This really highlights the social contract people have in Japan—they are polite, considerate, and honest towards others but are very hesitant to get involved in the affairs of others, even when someone is clearly in need.

The four elements of civic and social participation are less spread out with voter turnout ranked 92nd, voiced opinion to a public official 125th, volunteering 132nd, and donated money to charity 138th. It’s interesting that rates of volunteering and donating money are so low in Japan.

Finally, the three elements of social networks are all very low, resulting in Japan having the third lowest ranking for social networks globally (only Sudan and Syria are ranked lower). The opportunity to make friends was ranked 135th, helped another household 155th, and respect 164th. These numbers paint a grim picture of a society where it is hard to make friends, there is little support between households, and people don’t feel respected. The extremely low ranking for respect (only Ethiopia, Laos, and Syria are ranked lower) is surprising given that Japan has a shame–honour culture that places a high value on respect.

An opportunity to seize

Japan’s low social capital has important implications for ministry in Japan. In general, Japan is a wealthy nation and most of its residents enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. This is in contrast to many other mission fields that have very visible needs such as poor access to good water, low educational standards, endemic corruption and injustice, poor health systems, and large economic disparity.

But just as these needs in other countries provide an opportunity for missionaries to care for people in tangible ways that express God’s love for them, so Japan’s low social capital is an opportunity for us to meet this important need. In particular, loneliness is one of the greatest felt needs of many people.

The most obvious way we can meet that need is through providing a loving community that welcomes anyone. This is one of the strongest draws for churches. But since many people find it hard to enter a church, we have to make an effort to meet them where they are and find ways to engage people in the community.

One of the most valuable services we can render is to provide ways for Japanese people to connect with others. A student in English classes run by my church confided that she wasn’t really interested in learning English, but she came to meet others.

We can also sometimes break social conventions that make it hard for people to connect with each other. The good Samaritan is a good example of someone who flouted deeply entrenched social conventions to help someone in need. Another example is a missionary I know who saw a woman at a station struggling up the stairs with a stroller. He went up to her and offered to help, but she refused, saying she could manage on her own. However, the missionary went ahead and carried the stroller up the stairs anyway. He said that she appeared genuinely grateful afterwards.

What I find fascinating is that all the countries ranked in the top ten for social capital (Scandinavian countries, New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands, USA, and Canada) have a strong Protestant tradition. This suggests that the gospel will naturally enhance the social capital of a culture. Let’s see if it can’t have the same effect in Japan.

1. “Japan: Prosperity Score,” The 2023 Legatum Prosperity Index, https://docs.prosperity.com/6716/7689/8105/Japan_2023_Picountryprofile.pdf (accessed February 5, 2024).
2. The 2023 Legatum Prosperity Index, 16th edition is available for download at: https://www.prosperity.com/about/resources