Introduction - Religion and Politics in Contemporary Japan - page 3

partly due to a problem of typology. Based on empirical observations, I began
to explore some of the assumptions that surround the notion of ' new religion ' .

More speci cally, I began to look at what this religious movement was within

the broader framework of

' civil society ' . Shifting some of the assumptions

that underlie the more abrasive term allows us, among other

things, to discover at least 1 million young people in Japan today who are
active socially and politically. While their activities are conspicuous, the
nature of those activities has remained largely

' new religion '

' hidden ' within dominant

assumptions about new religions and a lack of firsthand research. Shifting the

typology and a priori notions sets us on a new footing to begin to explore
what role this Buddhist movement plays in Japan and for democracy there as
a whole.
This topic, then, focuses on how some young people resist the tendency to
at worst become politically apathetic, or at best remain satis ed with voicing

individual opinions in the blogosphere away from the more di cult but

arguably necessary step of collective action that is, if your aim is social

change. Not all Soka Gakkai members are interested in politics or canvass for
Komeito. In fact, the picture is a mixed one; probably only about half of Soka
Gakkai members canvass for the party, usually those who are active in Soka
Gakkai activities. Neither is canvassing even-handed or problem-free. Indeed,
the di

-

culty of maintaining a sense of commitment to engaging with formal
political processes and, in addition, dealing with an often highly politicised
public sphere shall become apparent. It clearly takes enthusiasm to engage in
voluntary activities to try to realise a political vision.
This topic is based on firsthand research carried out in Japan in 2003 and

2004, during which two general elections took place. This was the basis for a
doctoral thesis, followed by

fieldwork in the months leading up to the August
2009 Lower House election and 2010 Upper House election. Additional
research was also carried out in 2008. It explores how a signi cant number of

young people in Japan have a better understanding of and engagement with
politics than the literature on Japan has led us to believe so far. Compared to
the more widely recorded social reality of many depoliticised and politically
non-participating youths in Japan, it is a picture of how individuals emerge to
debate con dently about and with a commitment to issues of wider public

interest. Contrary to popular and academic ideas about the role of new reli-
gions in Japanese society, these young people s religious philosophy motivates

them to resist the tendency to become politically apathetic and it is their
organisation that provides the much-needed arena to get involved, albeit in
support of one particular political party and despite the controversy this
entails. This process is no easy ride and creates its own internal and external
dilemmas. However, as these young people organise to have a political voice,
the question is: What does the example of young Komeito supporters teach us
about Japanese society, about the role this religion plays in politics, and about
something that unites them enough to engage in the di

'

culty of collective

political action?